Four community leaders were announced as the next inductees into the Lawrence Business Hall of Fame Thursday at the Lawrence Country Club.

The 2105 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame recipients were announced Thursday, May 7, 2015. They are from left LaVerne Epp, Joan Golden, Steve Glass and representing recipient Bob Shmalberg are his wife Jackie Shmalberg and sons Jeff and Scott. Bob Shmalberg passed away in 2011..

LaVerne Epp, executive chair of the Bioscience and Technology Business Center; Joan Golden, senior vice president of U.S. Bank; Steve Glass, former CEO of LRM Industries; and the late Robert Shmalberg, of Scotch Fabric Care Services, were all recognized for their contributions to Lawrence and its people.

All four will officially be inducted into the Hall of Fame at a tribute dinner in October.

Hall of Fame Chairman Brad Burnside said each of the four inductees had consistently exemplified a basic, but important, business principle: If you work hard, you can be successful.

“All of them have done great things from a private enterprise standpoint as well as being involved in the community,” he said.

Business excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, courageous thinking and action, inspirational leadership and community impact are several additional criteria considered during the nomination process.

Glass, who is now retired but remains relatively active within the community, said he was honored by the recognition.

“Nothing that we’ve done was done with any expectations in mind,” he said. “I just grew up thinking that’s what you did when you’re an adult.”

Golden, a Lawrence resident of more than 43 years, agreed with Glass, calling her induction an honor. Chuckling, she added that at this point in her career it may be time for her to “slow down.”

Addressing a crowd of several dozen, Epp said he was “deeply gratified” by the recognition and reminisced a bit over his life’s work and his affiliations with Lawrence’s business world.

“I’ve had four great careers in my life and they’ve all been connected to business in some way, which is important to me,” he said.

Shmalberg, who died in 2011, was represented by his wife, Jackie, and two sons, Scott and Jeff.

The Hall of Fame is a project of Junior Achievement, a nationwide program dedicated to teaching students about business, Burnside said.

“Starting at a very, very young age we teach students those free-market economic principles,” he said. “We talk about the jobs people do and the impact those jobs have on families.”

Not only does the business world enjoy celebrating success, Burnside said, but each of those inducted into the Hall of Fame serves as a positive example for the future business leaders of Lawrence.

“This is the sixth year, and I don’t think there’s any shortage of worthy candidates in Lawrence,” Burnside said. “There are some great, great stories, and we have a lengthy list of folks that have been nominated. It’s difficult every year to select just four.”