OneMarysville
Photo Courtesy of OneMarysville
Before we charge into 2026, we’re taking one night to celebrate what 2025 gave us. Celebrate Marysville is set for Saturday, January 10, at Venue 36. The evening starts at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by dinner at 7 and presentations beginning at 7:45 p.m.
Josh Hoyer from The Voice will provide live music throughout the night. Tickets are $25, or $200 for a table of eight. You can buy online at onemarysville.com.
The focus of the night is our awards—recognizing the businesses, volunteers and community leaders who helped move Marysville forward this year.
Dan and Ronda Wassenberg will receive OneMarysville’s Legacy Award.
The Wassenbergs’ Pepsi story goes back generations. The family’s beverage work goes back to 1933, starting in distribution during Kansas’ dry-state era and growing over time through purchases from other distributors across a wide regional footprint. The Pepsi chapter began when the family hauled cases of Pepsi back from Holton, one of the few places producing it at the time, and then secured the Pepsi franchise for four counties on Dec. 7, 1941—the day of Pearl Harbor. After the 1951 flood, the territory expanded to Riley, Pottawatomie, and Wabaunsee counties. Over the years, the company continued to evolve with added wholesale and vending operations, while staying rooted in Marysville.
Dan has led the family’s beverage and vending operations while also serving in leadership roles across health care, business, and banking. He has served as a board member and president for Community Memorial Healthcare, served as president of the Marysville Chamber of Commerce, represented the industry through the Kansas Soft Drink Association and Kansas Beer Wholesalers Association, served 23 years on the Wis-Pak Board of Directors, and has served on the Citizens State Bank board since 1994. He currently serves as permanent chairman of the LinPepCo partnership and serves on the Kansas State University Golf Course and Research Foundation board at Colbert Hills.
Ronda guided the company’s wholesale operation for decades and managed MarKan Sales for more than 30 years after the family purchased the Marysville Candy Company in 1980. She was the first female president of the Marysville Rotary Club in 2002 and was a Rotary member from 1989 to 2022. She has been a member of Beta Sigma Phi for 48 years, chaired the Marshall County Junior Miss Program for 11 years, served on the Community Memorial Healthcare board, served as past president of the Kansas Candy and Tobacco Association, and has served in a variety of roles at St. Gregory’s Church. She also serves as a board member and treasurer of the Marysville Community Foundation.
Dan and Ronda have spent decades leading a Marysville-based business through change, keeping people employed and staying invested in this community. Thank you, Dan and Ronda, for your leadership, your commitment and your loyalty.
In addition to the Legacy Award, we will recognize other businesses and community members for their outstanding contributions. Every nominee in the remaining categories came from nominations submitted by our partners and community members.
Business of the Year
• Citizens State Bank — Nominators highlighted the bank’s steady support for youth activities and behind-the-scenes help mentoring business leaders. Customers also pointed to a consistently warm, welcoming team that makes every visit enjoyable, backed by generous community donations and sponsorships that show the bank cares about Marysville.
• Kramer Oil — Kramer Oil is recognized for strong customer service and a community-minded approach, with nominators calling the team advocates for Marysville and the kind of business that looks for ways to help the town.
• Tension — Tension is nominated as a long-standing Marysville business and major employer, recognized for providing jobs and stability through the years and for continuing to be part of the community’s economic backbone.
Small Business of the Year
• El Ranchero Mexican Restaurant — El Ranchero is nominated for attentive service, hardworking owners and staff and a reputation for great food served with consistency and care.
• Marysville Dental Care — Nominators noted the practice’s investment in Marysville, including the recent purchase of a larger property to expand. The team is also recognized for connecting with the community through social media, sharing innovations in dental care while introducing the public to the people behind the work.
• Semper Fi Electric — Semper Fi Electric is nominated for the way the team conducts business and treats others. Nominators cited the company’s quick response times, reliable service, quality work and a consistent willingness to show up when people need help.
Volunteer of the Year
• Brian Fragel — Brian is recognized as someone who shows up and supports the community. Nominators noted service as a former Main Street board member, leadership with Convention and Tourism as a committee chair, involvement with the Marshall County Arts Cooperative, plus continued involvement at church and at community events.
• Sharon Phillips — Sharon is nominated for being present and active across many corners of the community, from the Evangelical United Church of Christ to the Koester House Museum and Gardens to the food pantry and OneMarysville events. Nominators also pointed to the pride taken in caring for spaces and places, often quietly making Marysville look better and feel more welcoming.
• Ben Throm — Ben is recognized for service to several local organizations, including the Masons, the Marysville High School Alumni Association and OneMarysville. Nominators highlighted a willingness to share skills in technology and design, always with a polite, positive attitude.
Business Design and Beautification
• CES Group — CES Group is nominated for a transformation that is hard to miss. Nominators praised the look, style and curb appeal of the new building and the lift it brings to the west end, noting how the project has helped the 7th Street Corridor and improved that stretch of Broadway.
• Minnie’s Kitchen — Minnie’s Kitchen is nominated for restoration work that brought fresh life to a downtown storefront. Nominators highlighted the hard work put into restoring the facade and the way the business has quickly built a following, not only for the food but for the conversations that help connect people to downtown’s stories and history.
• Pony Express Title — Pony Express Title is recognized for seeing potential and putting in the work to match it. Nominators noted the transformation of a neglected property into a cozy, welcoming office space that adds charm and curb appeal while fitting the character of Marysville.
Outstanding Customer Service
• Micala Ellenbecker, 12th Street Liquor — Micala is nominated for consistently going above and beyond and for setting the tone with kindness and professionalism. Nominators described someone who stays gracious even in tough moments, takes time to connect with people and makes customers feel welcomed and valued.
• Lukas Leis, Sunflower Medical Clinic — Lukas is recognized as the steady presence at the front desk who helps make clinic visits smooth and stress-free. Nominators praised work ethic, patience and professionalism beyond his years, noting a consistent smile, clear communication and an ability to make patients feel like people, not just appointments.
• Ty Lumley, Honeyman Auto — Ty is nominated for service that combines efficiency with genuine care. Nominators highlighted strong communication, honesty and a willingness to go the extra mile, whether arranging a ride, helping customers understand options or creating a comfortable, hometown experience.
Come help us kick off 2026 the right way. Reply to this email if you’d like tickets or a table.
