A late entrepreneur / businessman/ philanthropist from Salina, along with a retired railroad president, will be honored with induction into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame.

According to the organization, retired BNSF Railroad President and CEO Carl Ice, and late Salina entrepreneur and business owner Charlie Walker are its 2023 Contemporary and Historical inductees, respectively.

In 2020, Carl Ice concluded a highly successful 42-year career with BNSF Railway, the largest freight railroad network in North America.

Charlie Walker’s legacy is well-known around Salina. Among other things he is the founder of Blue Beacon truck washes and Green Lantern Car washes. An animal lover, he founded Rolling Hills Zoo. And the Tammy Walker Cancer Center is named after his daughter who passed away at the age of 11.

According to the company that now bears his name, Charlie’s greatest achievement in life was the way he gave back to his community and those in need. Charlie was a man of humble beginnings, and he never forgot his roots.

Located in the Emporia State University School of Business and Technology, this year marks the 35th induction into the Kansas Business Hall of Fame.

Both will be inducted into the hall at the KBHF Induction Ceremony on Wednesday, October 4th.

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Learn more about the Kansas Business Hall of Fame and past inductees at http://www.ksbhf.org.

The public is invited to the Induction Ceremony:

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

4:00 pm reception: Preston Family Student Complex (1st floor)

4:30 pm induction: Kansas Business Hall of Fame (2nd floor)

Cremer Hall, Emporia State University

1428 Merchant St, Emporia, KS

 RSVP by September 20th to Rachael Richardson: 620-341-5274 or [email protected].