The Kansas Business Hall of Fame (KBHF) on Wednesday inducted retired BNSF Railroad President and CEO, and current Kansas Regent, Carl Ice and late Salina entrepreneur and business owner Charlie Walker into the Hall as its 2023 Contemporary and Historical inductees, respectively.
More than 125 family members, friends, and business leaders gathered for the KBHF’s 35th induction at the Emporia State University School of Business and Technology.
“Mr. Walker and Mr. Ice had a tremendous impact on the Kansas business community and their respective communities,” said KBHF Executive Director John Rich. “KBHF is honored to recognize these two Kansas business leaders, and in doing so, the KBHF Board of Directors hopes their dedication inspires others.”
The KBHF Board of Directors is made of business and community leaders from across the state of Kansas and from Kansas universities who are passionate about recognizing the leaders of the state’s business community.
Trace Walked accepted the induction honor on behalf of Mr. Walker’s family.
“On behalf of my dad and my family, I want to thank the Kansas Business Hall of Fame for this honor. He would be more than honored of this recognition. Dad was the perfect description of an entrepreneur. He had the courage to reach out and follow his dreams and he would be quick to acknowledge he had a lot of help along the way,” said Walker.
Mr. Ice thanked the Hall for the recognition.
“I’m humbled and honored to be named to the Kansas Business Hall of Fame. When you’re starting out in your career, you hope that you will have impact. To then be recognized for it in my home state means a great deal to me and my family,” said Mr. Ice.
More is listed below about the two inductees.
Kansans can learn more about the Kansas Business Hall of Fame and past inductees at www.ksbhf.org.
Click here to watch a virtual tour of the Kansas Business Hall of Fame.
Charlie Walker Induction: Left to Right: Dr. James Leiker, KBHF Chairman; Trace Walker, son of Mr. Walker; Carolyn Walker, widow of Mr. Walker; Michael Walker, son of Mr. Walker; and Dr. John Rich, KBHF Executive Director.
Carl Ice Induction: Left to Right: Dr. James Leiker, KBHF Chairman; Mary Ice, wife of Mr. Ice; Carl Ice, Inductee; and Dr. John Rich, KBHF Executive Director.
Carl Ice | 2023 KBHF Contemporary Inductee
In 2020, Carl Ice concluded a highly successful 42-year career with BNSF Railway, the largest freight railroad network in North America. He was promoted through roles of increasing responsibility from his initial hire as an intern to Executive Vice President of Operations and then to President & Chief Operating Officer following the $44 billion sale of the company to Berkshire Hathaway in 2010. Ice eventually rose to lead all aspects of the organization as President & Chief Executive Officer in 2014 and was invited by BNSF to continue to serve on the Board of Directors after his retirement from executive duties in 2020.
Throughout his tenure, BNSF delivered consistent financial outperformance among its peers. Annual revenues increased by 64% from $13.6 billion in 2009 to a peak of $22.3 billion in 2019 while doubling the net margin. Return on investor capital improved from 9.0% to 15.2% during the same period.
Ice emphasized a culture of resiliency that ensured the company’s ability to adapt to changing market conditions during highly variable business cycles. Under his leadership, BNSF continued to grow despite a contraction in the freight railway transportation market from 2014 to 2020 and successfully offset a significant decrease in revenue derived from the transportation of coal by expanding the consumer products and agricultural freight business.
Throughout his career, Ice has believed in the importance of engaged employees and continuous development at all levels of the organization. He championed a new leadership model and implemented the annual leadership development program for all managers, rolled out comprehensive training initiatives for the broader employee base, and achieved an unusual employee retention rate with an average employee tenure of 13 years. It’s not uncommon to find multi-generational railroaders at BNSF.
In addition to his many professional achievements at BNSF, Ice remains involved in the broader community and has fulfilled numerous civic roles in Kansas and nationally. He was appointed to the Kansas Board of Regents in 2021. Ice is a member of the Salvation Army National Advisory Board and currently serves as the Chair of the Kansas State University Foundation Board of Trustees as well as serving on the Board of Directors. He has also served on the K-State Alumni Association Board. He was named “Outstanding Philanthropist” by the Dallas Chapter of the Association of Fund Raising Professionals in 2020, was recognized by the naming of the Carl R. Ice College of Engineering at Kansas State University in 2018, cited as “Distinguished Citizen” by the Longhorn Council of the Boy Scouts of America in 2017, and lauded as “Railroader of the Year” by Railway Age Magazine in 2018.
Ice holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Kansas State University from where he graduated summa cum laude. He also holds an Associate of Arts degree from Coffeyville Community College.
Charlie Walker | 2023 KBHF Historical Inductee
Charlie Walker was born into very modest circumstances on May 27, 1932, in Salina, Kansas. While growing up, he lived with his mother, aunt and uncle, and two cousins. Walker attended Salina public schools through the ninth grade, when he dropped out to begin working. In 1947, the 15-year-old took a job working construction in Dodge City. Soon after, he moved to Pueblo, Colorado, and found employment at the Colorado Fuel and Iron Steel Mill. Although he was satisfied with his job, Walker enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He served his 4 ½ year term in the flight engineering division, where he learned self-discipline and gained an understanding of what it takes to be successful.
After completing his Air Force term, Walker spent a brief time as a salesman in Seattle, Washington, before returning to Salina, family in tow. In 1957, he started his first business delivering wholesale tobacco and candy to small businesses in the area. By 1963, Walker and his wife had six children. His income was sufficient but Walker was not satisfied with what he was doing. So he moved on to his next venture.
In Colorado, Walker had first seen vacuum trucks used to clean heating and air supply duct work. He felt he could make a better machine, and he did just that. Walker’s success with his Power Vac truck gave him an appetite for the manufacturing business. In 1967, he designed a totally self-contained, mobile, power-wash truck that could be used for everything from swimming pools to parking lots to buildings and construction equipment. The concept caught on quickly, and Allied Mobile Power Wash became Charlie’s primary focus. In 1969, the power wash line was picked up by the well-known ServiceMaster Company.
Walker noticed that a large part of the customer base for Allied Mobile Power Wash was semitruck drivers. He saw the opportunity to better meet their needs by providing a fullservice, 24-hour, truck washing facility. Thus, the idea behind Blue Beacon Truck Wash was born. The first facility was opened in May 1973, and the company added locations as quickly as they could as Blue Beacon gained popularity throughout the trucking industry. Today, Blue Beacon operates 112 locations in 37 states.
Walker has done more than his share for the Salina community as well. In 1999, he created Rolling Hills Zoo to showcase native and exotic animals, and to help educate the public to the plight of a growing number of endangered species. In 2005, Walker contributed a wildlife museum to the attraction. The facilities continue to be a source of enjoyment for all who visit. In 2001, Charlie contributed the lead gift to create Salina’s teen center, “The City.” Charlie’s family has also made other significant donations to organizations such as Salina Catholic schools, Salina Rescue Mission, and the campaign to erect the Kaye Pogue Hospice Center.
However, the most meaningful gift given by the family was the lead donation to build Tammy Walker Cancer Center. The center is named in memory of Walker’s daughter, who succumbed to lung cancer in 1962 at age 11. The facility provides Salina and the surrounding communities with the same visionary treatments that previously could only be provided by large research hospitals.
In recognition of his leadership success and contributions to the community, Walker was inducted to the Salina Business Hall of Fame in 2005. Charlie Walker died in 2012.
