Ken Daniel Builds Fortune in Roofing Business, His Company sold for $67.2 million in 2021

Ken Daniel

By Michael Hooper

Ken Daniel, a Topeka businessman who founded Midway Wholesale and The Topeka Independent Business Association, died March 25, 2026, at the age of 80, according to his obituary.

In 1971, Ken Daniel founded Midway Sales and Distributing in Topeka (later called Midway Wholesale) which went on to be his life's work until his retirement in 2019. Midway is a supplier of building and roofing supplies.

Beacon Roofing Supplies bought Midway Wholesale for $67.2 million in November 2021, according to a  SEC filing dated May 6, 2022. Beacon said the deal to purchase Midway Wholesale valued the company at $28.7 million in goodwill, and $38.5 million in tangible assets, for a total of $67.2 million, said David Tangeman, Houston accountant.

At the time of the sale, Midway Wholesale had 170 employees and $130 million annual sales in 10 stores in Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. Founded by Kenneth Daniel in 1970, Midway Wholesale was incorporated in 1974 at 218 SE Branner, Topeka.

Beacon distributes roofing supplies and building products in 400 locations in 50 states. In 2025, Beacon was acquired by QXO, Inc. (QXO), a conglomerate of roofing and building supples. I wrote about the sale of Ken Daniel's company in this article.

I interviewed Ken Daniel multiple times over the years. He is a founder of the Topeka Independent Business Association. He supported efforts by small businesses to increase access to health insurance.

Ken Daniel was elected to Junior Achievement's Topeka Business Hall of Fame. He is widely regarded as one of the sharpest minds in business.

Ken was a personable man who excelled at sales and management. He hired the right people and promoted them.

But in the beginning, it was just Ken Daniel in a tiny office at 218 SE Branner. He told me he started in 1970 as a manufacturer's representative in Topeka, a position that grew into forming his own company.

One time, Ken actually took me inside the tiny room, where he got started. It was a dusty old room with gray walls, more of a storage area when I saw it. He said as business got bigger, he took over more and more space inside the old building, eventually acquiring the entire building. Midway Wholesale's Topeka operation is next to the BNSF Railway tracks. To expand operations, Midway Wholesale purchased some land from BNSF.

In 2008, Kenneth Daniel, chairman, retired as chief executive officer at the company's annual stockholders meeting. Bruce H. Myers, president since 1999, was elected chief executive officer and president. John D. Ossello has been vice president since 1999.

Midway Wholesale originally started out as a roof coating business for the elevator industry. The business transitioned into a commercial roofing distributor. And later expanding into construction materials. Now the company sells products for both residential and commercial properties. "Buildings can now have Midway Wholesale materials all the way from their foundations to their rooftops," the company says.

Midway Wholesale's other locations are in Lawrence, Manhattan, Garden City, Overland Park, Salina, Wichita, St. Joseph, Mo., Joplin, Mo., and Grand Island, Neb.

Ken Daniel was a great leader, businessman and mentor. A Celebration of Life will be held at Countryside United Methodist Church in Topeka on Saturday, April 25th at 2:00pm with a reception immediately following.