Three prominent Salina businessmen, including the founder of KSAL Radio and a former Salina Journal owner, a founder of Kansas Wesleyan University, and an attorney have been selected to be inducted into the 2016 class of the Salina Business Hall of Fame.

According to the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce, the 2016 business hall of fame class includes:

• Henry H. Sudendorf, businessman and one of the founders of Wesleyan University in Salina (Pioneer Category, 1858-1925);
• Robert J. Laubengayer, prominent Kansas newspaper publisher, entrepreneur, businessman, former publisher and owner of The Salina Journal, and founder of KSAL Radio (Historic Category, 1926-1975);
• Sidney Reitz, Partner in the law firm of Hampton & Royce, LC   (Contemporary Category 1976-present).

An induction ceremony will be held Wednesday, November 2, noon-1:30pm, at the Salina Country Club.  Robert D. Simari, M.D., Executive Dean, University of Kansas School of Medicine, will be the featured speaker.

The Salina Business Hall of Fame was established by the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce in 2005.  Its purpose is to recognize and honor Salina business leaders, both past and present, who have made extraordinary contributions to Salina, earned the respect of the local community and called attention to the Free Enterprise system and its value to our country and citizens in shaping Salina’s way of life.

Each inductee will be recognized with a commemorative plaque.  In addition, plaques honoring each inductee will be displayed at the Chamber office, 120 W. Ash.  A biography of each inductee will be printed and distributed at the luncheon.

Past inductees include:   (Pioneer) Henry David Lee, Alexander Campbell, Oscar Seitz and Winfield Watson, Benjamin Aaron Litowich;  William R. Geis, William A. Phillips, Thomas Watson Roach, Charles R. Underwood, and Frank Hageman. (Historic) Ward A. Marshall, William Henry Graves, John J. Vanier, M.J. Kennedy, Milton Morrison, Charles W. Shaver, C. William “Bill” Exline, Murray Wilson, Ralph E. Reitz, S. Dean Evans, Sr., Whitley Austin, Ben Sellers, George L. Frisbie, Verla Nesbitt Joscelyn, and Baalis Kyger Smoot.  (Contemporary) Alfred P.G. Schwan, Charlie Walker, Roy Applequist, Lee Young, Paul E. Junk, Jack Vanier, James R. Allen, Richard E. Brown, Karl Stutterheim, Mike Berkley, Charles E. Stevens, Jr.; and Thomas Pestinger.

Tickets for the induction ceremony are $20 per person and can be purchased by calling the Chamber office, 827-9301, emailing [email protected],  or online by going to the Chamber’s home page at www.salinakansas.org.