When your business burns - A comeback story

Sheryl Wohlford, President and Co‑Owner of Automation‑Plus, Inc., is a proud Kansan and Wichita State University alumna with a degree in Health Care Administration. She joined Automation‑Plus in 1991, four years after her husband Doug founded the company.

Automation‑Plus manufactures identification marking systems with a strong niche in aerospace, with more than 2,000 systems installed across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The company also operates an in‑house product marketing division. In early 2023, an electrical fire destroyed the company’s machine shop—an event that coincided with Doug’s consideration of retirement and marked a significant turning point for the business.

Sheryl’s commitment to civic engagement is evident throughout her career. She currently serves on the boards of the Sedgwick County Zoo, Fidelity Bank, Wesley Medical Center, and the WSU Foundation. Her past board service includes the Wichita State University Board of Trustees, Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce, Wichita Foundation, and the Rotary Club of Wichita.

Her professional journey began at the Wichita Clinic after graduating from WSU. She later joined Koch Industries in 1989, supporting internal software reporting systems. Sheryl has been widely recognized for her leadership, including selection for the Wichita Business Journal’s Women in Business class (2003), the inaugural 40 Under 40 class (1998), and induction into the 40 Under 40 Hall of Fame (2015). She also served as president of the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce board of directors in 2003.