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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Randall Tosh, Phoreus Biotechnology

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

“We can deliver.” In the business community, it is vital that a company delivers on its promises. Delivery is important in other ways as well. What if a company could find a better way to deliver a medicine or treatment to a particular target in cells inside the body? Today we’ll learn about an innovative Kansas company which is using amazing technology to accomplish such a goal in medicine, animal and plant health.

Adriana Avila Flores, Ph.D. works on developing ways to use Branched Amphipathetic Peptide Capsules (BAPC) at Phoreus Biotechnology, based at K-State Olathe.

Randall Tosh is CEO of Phoreus Biotechnology, Inc. in Olathe, Kansas. He grew up on a farm in northeast Kansas and got a degree in agriculture from K-State. He worked in international marketing for the State of Kansas and Commonwealth of Australia before becoming executive vice president of an animal health technology company in Olathe.

In that capacity, he met Dr. John Tomich, professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and director of the Biotechnology/Proteomics Core Facility at K-State. “He was brilliant,” Randall said.

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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Pat Happer – Meriden, Part 2

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

When I’m tired and need some coffee, I know it’s time to go to the farmhouse. But if I lived at Meriden, I might go to a different type of farmhouse – spelled Pharm House, with a PH as in pharmacy. This Pharm House is a specialty coffee shop that the Farrant family created next to the pharmacy in Meriden. It’s another example of the Farrant family’s community spirit, which is helping the local school district and the broader community.

Jake Farrant (l.) and Pat Happer.

Last week we learned about Jake Farrant and Kansas Turf, his family-owned sports construction company in Meriden. Pat Happer, the school superintendent at Jefferson West High School in Meriden, provided additional information on this company’s benefit to the community.  Continue reading “Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Pat Happer – Meriden, Part 2” →

Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Jake Farrant – Meriden, Part 1

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

The football players run onto the field for summer practice at Jefferson West High School. But something is different: This field is covered by artificial turf which was last used by the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. How did NFL turf come to be on a high school football field? It’s due to a hometown Kansas company which specializes in turf installation across the country.

Jake Farrant of Meriden, Kansas is founder and president of Meriden, Kansas-based Kansas Turf. Pictured are Jake and Kysa Farrant and their children.

Jake Farrant is founder and president of this remarkable company named Kansas Turf.  Jake grew up at Meriden. As a kid, he mowed lawns and helped with his uncle’s golf course and sod farm business in Topeka. He also loved football, starting at quarterback at Jefferson West High School and then at Ottawa University.

After graduation, he returned to Meriden and continued to help his uncle. He also became an assistant football coach at his alma mater, Jeff West. When the family was approached about building a multi-sport complex, which didn’t fit the work of his uncle’s company, Jake saw the opportunity to go into business for himself. In 2008, Kansas Turf was born.

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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Ted Bender, Bender Steel

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

What is being built by this business? In the case of one Kansas company, it might be decorative metal railings for a Big 12 football stadium or for Oklahoma City’s Bricktown entertainment district. These are among the key projects of this entrepreneurial company in rural Kansas.

Ted Bender is owner of Bender Steel in Whitewater, Kansas.

Ted Bender is founder and owner of Bender Steel in Whitewater, Kansas. He grew up between Newton and Hesston, and took agricultural education classes at Moundridge from agricultural instructor Larry Goering. Here he learned to weld. That skill would become the basis of his career.

During the following years, Ted worked for a local manufacturing company and for various local farmers, including Mr. Goering. Then Ted married his wife Amy and moved to the Whitewater area, northeast of Wichita.

In 2003, Ted started his own business, primarily doing farm equipment repair. He also had a hay business and traded in antique tractors.

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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Tony Salcido, REV-E3

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Wastebaskets have become less full at locations where more people are recycling. But what is to be done with old computers? Discarded computers and other electronic devices are referred to as e-waste. Today we’ll learn about an innovative rural Kansas company that is a leader in e-waste recycling.

Tony Salcido is co-founder and CEO of REV-E3, a recycler of
computers and other electronic waste.

Tony Salcido is co-founder, co-owner and CEO of REV-E3, an electronic waste recycling company. Tony is a veteran of 17 years in the information technology field.

Tony graduated from Syracuse High School where he met his future wife. After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, he joined the Army. He decided to specialize in telecommunications after his grandma said to do something that he could use after he left the service.

After five years of active duty, Tony was stationed on the east coast. “I had opportunities there, but we wanted to raise our kids back in Kansas,” Tony said. He chose to take an IT position with a manufacturing company in Beloit and also took college classes.

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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Joel Russell, Codell – Cyclone Day – Part 2

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

“We can’t always control what happens in our lives – things will go well, things will go poorly – but what we can control is our response to those events.”  – Ken Blanchard.

Tobias Flores and Danielle Robinson created a sculpture to commemorate tornadoes in Codell, Kansas.

Last week we learned about a rural Kansas community that was devastated by tornado strikes which, amazingly, came on the same day, three years in a row. Now we’ll learn how the community is seeking to recognize this disaster today, in a way that honors its ancestors and the spirit of the community.

Last week we learned the story of Codell, Kansas which was hit by a tornado on May 20 in 1916, 1917, and 1918. Joel Russell shared the story of this incredible fluke of weather.

Joel grew up at Codell. After college at Wichita State, he became a supervisor with Union Pacific Railroad. His job allowed him to move back to Codell, while his work took him around the western U.S. He met and married Amanda who is from Hays. Amanda works at Plainville High School. She and Joel have four children.

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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Ray Essington, Music Teacher

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Is there an electronic piano keyboard gathering dust at your house? I‘m afraid there is at mine. We don’t seem to find much time to use it. Today, we’ll learn about a high school music teacher who is helping students with their keyboard skills. In doing so, he’s building on the tradition of one of the world’s most famous musical instructors. She came from this very same hometown.

Ray Essington

Last week we learned about Dorothy DeLay, one of the world’s most famous violin teachers. Miss DeLay graduated from Neodesha High School in 1933.

Ray Essington is the music teacher at Neodesha today. He grew up at Council Grove.  Ray got a bachelor’s degree in music at KU, taught in Arkansas and then earned his master’s in music education at Kansas State.

Ray’s first Kansas school music teaching job was at Thayer, a rural community of 497 people. Now, that’s rural.

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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Dorothy DeLay, historic violin instructor

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

She taught the masters. She became one of the most famous, sought-after teachers of professional violinists in the world. Her name was Dorothy DeLay, and she came from rural Kansas. Thanks to K-State violin professor Cora Cooper for her help with this article.

Dorothy DeLay

Dorothy DeLay was born in 1917 in Medicine Lodge. Her parents were musicians and educators. She later described her upbringing as strict and religious. The family moved to Neodesha where her father became school superintendent, and Miss DeLay grew up there.

Her musical talents surfaced early. She began studying the violin at age 4 and did a recital at her church at age 5. She was so advanced that she graduated from Neodesha High School at age 16 and enrolled at the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. Miss DeLay later transferred to Michigan State.

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Story Headline: Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Zack Schaffer

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

The Facebook post came from Mike Rowe, the nationally-known television host and advocate for American workers. His post featured a beautiful rocking chair and the craftsman who made it in the heartland of rural Kansas.

Zack Schaffer is the owner of Schaffer Furniture in Jetmore, Kansas.

Zack Schaffer is the owner, founder and sole employee of Schaffer Furniture which was recently featured on Mike Rowe’s Facebook page. Zack grew up on a farm and ranch near Jetmore. “I took wood shop in high school to avoid calculus and trigonometry,” Zack said. He majored in industrial technology at Fort Hays State.

Zack specialized in making hand-crafted wooden furniture. Due to the fact that there were no fine furniture makers nearby, his required internship for degree completion was the implementation of a self-directed project in fine furniture making. He designed and built a cherry Queen Anne style highboy.

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Kansas Profile – Now That’s Rural: Deidre Knight, Council Grove Life Center

Posted on by Mary Lou Peter

Fun and fitness. Those two elements go together at the Council Grove Life Center, where the goal is to make rural life fun, entertaining, and long-lasting.

The Council Grove Life Center in Council Grove, Kansas has an indoor swimming pool, fitness studio, workout equipment, racquetball courts and more.

Deidre Knight is executive director of the Council Grove Life Center, a community fitness center in Council Grove. Deidre grew up in Salina and studied Family Studies and Human Services at K-State. She also met her husband, who grew up on a farm near the rural community of Alta Vista, population 444 people. Now, that’s rural.

Deidre and her husband moved to Kansas City after graduation. They eventually  moved back to Council Grove where she became the director of the Council Grove Life Center.

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