SALINA, KS (October 23, 2006) \u2013 Roy Applequist, a former member of the Evangelical Covenant Church Executive Board and the North Park University Board of Trustees, has been inducted into the Salina Business Hall of Fame for his longtime contributions to the community.
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\nThe 1968 North Park graduate served on the Executive Board from 1997 to 2002 and the university\u2019s board from 1992 to 1996. He has been a generous benefactor to the school, including its most recent capital campaign, \u201cFormation and Transformation.\u201d Applequist also has been active in First Covenant Church in Salina.<\/p>\n
An induction ceremony for Applequist and four others was planned with Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as the featured speaker.\u00a0 Earlier this year, Sebelius named him the state\u2019s \u201cExporter of the Year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Applequist founded Great Plains Manufacturing in 1976. Employing 850 workers in eight communities throughout central Kansas, the company is one of the largest privately held agricultural equipment manufacturers in the United States. Total manufacturing space totals one million square feet.<\/p>\n
Kristin Seaton, chair of First Covenant Church, told the local newspaper, The Salina Journal,<\/em> “I’ve heard from a lot of people that he’s a good person to work for.” She also served with him on the Salina Regional Health Center board. “He’s someone I was eager to bring on board there,” she said. “He’ll roll up his sleeves and do what needs to be done.<\/p>\n “He asks what is it we’re trying to do here, and how can we get it done,\u201d she added. That’s what he did when he started his business – he talked to farmers, found out what they needed, and figured out how to do it.”<\/p>\n Seaton praised his leadership and positive influence. “He asks good questions – he’s not afraid to ask hard questions – and he’s very thoughtful. I’ve learned to know from his body language when he’s thinking. He’s a quiet leader, but when he talks, people listen.”<\/p>\n Applequist also served on the board of Kansas Wesleyan University and Bank IV in Salina.<\/p>\n