On Thursday evening, the Hutchinson Reno County Chamber of Commerce held their Fourth Annual Awards Night at The Burt.
Eagle Media’s own Glen Grunwald was the master of ceremonies for the evening. The annual awards ceremony gives the Hutchinson Reno County Chamber of Commerce the opportunity to celebrate the businesses and business leaders in Hutchinson.
Starting off the evening was the Veteran-Owned/Supporting Business Award sponsored by ONEOK. The award was won by Heartland Retirement & Benefits Consulting which is owned by Lori Miller.
Miller’s commitment to service began long before she entered the business world. She proudly served in the United States Army as a Medical Supply Specialist with the 388th Medical Battalion, playing a vital role in military medical logistics, including the setup of Madigan Army Medical Center. Though she left the Army in 1997 to focus on raising her family, her dedication to service has never waveredNominee
The second award of the evening was the Rising Star Award. This award is presented by Start Up Hutch. The Rising Star Award recognizes a young individual under the age of 35 who has distinguished themselves as a leader and role model in our community.
Nominated for the award:
• Dr. Megan Bartley of Clothed in Compassion,
• Katie Brown of the Cancer Council of Reno County
• Devin Findlay of Central Christian Schools.
• Thomas Jackson of BOLD
• Margi Nisly of Foster Adopt Connect (YouThrive)
• Victoria Pruitt of First National Bank
• Alexis Roets of First Bank Kansas
• Kailey Thach of Advanced Physical Therapy
Dr. Megan Bartley the CEO & Occupational Therapist, Clothed in Compassion, Corporation was named the 2025 Rising Star Award Winner. Dr. Bartley is a is a dynamic and compassionate leader whose commitment to the Reno County community is nothing short of inspiring. As the owner and operator of Clothed in Compassion (CiC), a non-profit pediatric therapy clinic, she has created a space that supports children with sensory issues and other needs, providing holistic care to families in Reno County and beyond.
Next up was the Minority/Women-Owned Business Award sponsored by Allen Samuels Chrysler Dodge JEEP Ram. This award recognizes a minority or women-owned small business that has outstanding achievement and has made significant contributions to the local community. Nominees for the award were:
• D’s Duds owned by Angela Updegraff-Fairchild.
• Jackson Meat owned by Jeni Bryan
• Revive Chiropractic owned by Stacia Biel
Jeni Bryan and Jackson Meat was the winner. Jackson Meat has been a cornerstone of the Hutchinson community since Jeni purchased the family-owned business in 2010. Under her leadership, Jackson Meat has grown from a small operation with four employees to a thriving business employing 18-22 individuals.
The next award is the Hutchinson Reno County Chamber of Commerce Ambassador of the Year sponsored by ONEOK. Ambassadors are asked to strive for 35 to 50-percent participation. One person continues to blow that goal out of the water. With an amazing 92-percent participation in 2024. The Ambassador of the Year was Rachelle Fideldy, who is a three-peat winner.
The Legacy Business of the Year was the next award. The Legacy Award was sponsored by First National Bank and recognizes an individual or business in our community that has made a decades long contribution to Reno County. The nominees for the award were:
• Central Christian School
• Wesley Towers
• Wray and Sons Roofing
Wray and Sons Roofing was awarded the Legacy Business of the Year. Wray and Sons Roofing is a family-owned business that has been a cornerstone of the Hutchinson community since its founding in 1939 by Bernard and Lorena Wray. Now in its fourth generation of leadership, with Greg and Cliff Wray at the helm and their children poised to carry on the legacy, the company has evolved from a small operation with a panel truck to a respected provider of both residential and commercial roofing services.
The final award of the evening was the Small Business of the Year. Each month the Chamber’s Small Business Council selected an exceptional small business to receive the Small Business of the Month award. Each of these monthly winners are active in our community, caring to their staff/volunteers and customers. They have donated their talents and resources to make Hutchinson and Reno County a better place. The nominees for the Small Business of the Year were:
• Anchor Grill, owned by Aaron Hill
• Woolsey Monument, owned by Tim Woolsey
• Blick Homes LLC, owned by Dianne Blick
• Reffner’s, owned by Brian and Kathy Reffner
• Salt City Brewery, owned by Steven Petermann
• Special K9 Dog Training and Country Resort owned by Jenny Oberhelman
• Janitorial Solutions owned by Gary Newcome
• Leu + Co Properties owned by Logan and Emily Leuenberger
• A5 Western owned by Michael and Janey Anderson
• Waggoners owned by Paul Waggoner
• Chaffin Electric owned by Roger Chaffin
• Kauffman Seeds owned by Dustin and Megan Miller, and Sandy Clayman
The winner of the 2024 Small Business of the Year Award was Special K9 Dog Training and Country Resort owned by Jenny Oberhelman. Oberhelman’s lifelong passion for dogs led her to create Special K9 Dog Training & Country Resort, a thriving business dedicated to training, boarding, and therapy work. With plans for future expansion, Special K9 continues to make a lasting impact on dogs, their families, and the community