About Us

Our Mission

The Topeka Lodging Association is committed to providing comfortable and quality accommodations in the city of Topeka and assisting the guests of our city with information regarding what to do, where to go, and how to truly enjoy the many exciting things to do in our Capital City. We work in collaboration with like-minded individuals and community partners to leverage efforts to support and grow Topeka’s hospitality industry. Our membership annually provides volunteer assistance to large events occurring in Topeka as well as to deserving non-profit organizations within the community.

Our Officers

A. Kurt Young

Executive Director

A. Kurt Young and his wife Pamela moved back to Kansas upon completion of Kurt’s military service in the Marine Corps in early 1972. Mr. Young soon began a career with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (now AT&T) that same year and in September of 2003 retired from SBC Corporation after completing nearly 32 years of service.
While maintaining his career with SBC, Mr. Young became an active volunteer in the Topeka community as well. He served on the board of the Kansas Expocentre for ten years and in that capacity filled the chairman’s position for six of the ten years. It was while serving on this board that he became involved in the process of developing a hotel on the grounds of the Kansas Expocentre. He was the local representative chosen by Mr. John Q. Hammons to participate in developing a 225 room convention hotel in Topeka that is now the Capitol Plaza Hotel.
In 1993, while still employed by SWB, Mr. Young attended Leadership Greater Topeka and has continued to be an active community volunteer. Mr. Young was appointed to the Topeka Shawnee County Metropolitan Planning Commission and served there until late 2003. He was subsequently appointed to the Shawnee County Planning Commission where he served for five years.
Upon retirement from SWB in 2003, Mr. Young partnered with another Topeka businessman to develop and build a 63 room limited service hotel in Topeka, KS. In its second year of operation it was recognized as one of the top eight hotels in the United States in its franchise brand. As an owner operator Mr. Young became intimately involved in the lodging industry locally and partnered with another hotel operator in Topeka to form the Topeka Lodging Association in 2007. He served as president for six years before selling his hotel and 2014.
While being an owner/operator of the hotel Mr. Young was selected to serve as a director on the board of the Kansas Restaurant and Hospitality Association and continues to serve in that capacity today. He has also served as treasurer since 1999 of the church he and his wife have attended for 35 years.
Following the sale of his hotel, Mr. Young returned to Topeka Lodging Association and serve as the Executive Director of the organization. As Executive Director, one of the first major accomplishments in his role was the development of Evergy Plaza.

Rob Bergquist

President

Rob Bergquist, President of Topeka Lodging Association, is currently the General Manager for Cyrus Hotel. He also serves on Visit Topeka Board of Directors as incoming chair, The Topeka Sport Commission, Topeka Business Improvement District Advisory Board and the advisory council for the Washburn Rural Restaurant and Event Management pathway. He is inspired by his fellow Topekans to propel the city to be the place for hospitality and spur economic growth. Rob is an alumni of the University of Kansas with a degree in Business and Economics. He enjoys the attractions and events the community has to offer with his wife, Ashley, and two children, Lauren, and Robbie. He also enjoys coaching the Topeka Takeovers softball team for his daughter and playing gold when we can.
Rob has been in the hospitality industry for the past 25 years and enjoys the diverse landscape and opportunities it offers. He believes that with the momentum of the Topeka community, we can continue to make Topeka better for the people who live here as well as the people that travel in each day.

Wayne Wazlawik

Vice President

Wayne moved to Topeka in 1996 after graduating with a M.A. in Economics from the Central Missouri State University (now UCM). He married Christina in 2000 they moved to Wichita. He was a Banquet Manager at the Hotel at Old Town Convention Center from 2004-2006. Upon the birth of their second child, they moved back to Topeka in December 2006 and he started at the Capitol Plaza in January of 2007 as an Assistant Banquet Manager. He was promoted to Banquet Manager in April 2012 and then Assistant General Manager in April 2019. A few of the highlights of his tenure was leading the service of three inaugural balls in 2011, 2015 and 2019. He enjoys working with the associations and groups that frequent Hotel Topeka at City Center. He feels like an extension of these groups and guests because he is not successful unless they are.