TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Topeka-area business leaders are headed to the Hall of Fame.
Junior Achievement of Kansas announced the 2027 Topeka Business Hall of Fame Laureates on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
The new Laureates include Jon Haas, founder and president of Haas Group, Carlos Cortez, who launched Cortez Transportation Group, and Kurt Kuta, the current President and CEO of Corefirst Bank and Trust.
All three said the honor isn’t about their pasts, but about the future.
“We need good hard-working people with good ethics that are doing the right thing to make a difference and to make the country great,” said Haas.
Cortez shared about what this accomplishment means to him.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by Junior Achievement on what we’ve done but also to bring up the youth to show what we can do if we can do it,” said Cortez.
This year’s class also includes Maggie Warren, the owner of Wheatland Property Management, who passed away in July.
Each year, a committee of past Laureates review nominations and select honorees based on business excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, inspiring leadership, community impact, positive role-model conduct, local influence, and an enduring legacy. Junior Achievement honors these individuals and connects the Best in Business to the Next in Business.
“Year after a year that were able to identify individuals that have made these accomplishments and in giving back to the community, so it inspires the next generation to know that they can make a difference that never ends,” said Sarah Dunekack, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Kansas.
The Business Hall of Fame supports Junior Achievement’s mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed. During the 2025-26 school year, Junior Achievement served nearly 19,000 students across Kansas, including 6,934 students in Shawnee County. Junior Achievement is building upon its strong foundation of financial literacy, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship programs to create a continuum that moves students from awareness and exploration to hands-on experience, skill building, connections and opportunity.
“Bringing young people, you give them an opporunity to grow and build a career building a home here in our community,” said Kuta. “it’s a wonderful thing.”
The Laureates will be honored at Junior Achievement’s 25th Annual Celebration in April.
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