Alderfer, Moore Named Man, Woman of the Year
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Jordan Fouts-
Alderfer was named Man of the Year and Moore named Woman of the Year during the Warsaw Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce 102nd annual banquet Thursday night. They joined eight other individuals and businesses honored for their impact on the community and for sharing their passion with others.
Moore launched the Bailey R. Moore Foundation in October 2012 to honor her daughter, who died in March 2011 at age 14 after battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The foundation awards scholarships to Warsaw Community High School students and Junior Achievement, which is something Moore has said Bailey would have wanted.
“My one person who influenced me the most is my Bailey,” Moore said while receiving her award. “She taught me that there are bigger plans for all of us. We don’t know what that is, but I’m here to prove that there’s a bigger plan.”
Alderfer and business partner Mike Bergen created the Riley Kids Fund in summer 2011 to financially help families whose children are receiving care at Riley Hospital for Children. Alderfer’s own daughter, Katherine, now 7, was diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis at age 3 and received treatment at Riley.
The fund has raised more than $217,000 and disburses $1,000 every month to defray travel and other costs for Riley families.
“We live in the best place in the world, I truly love this community. It’s a truly amazing place,” Alderfer said while accepting the honor. “We were able to build a successful business because of the community, not us.”
Warsaw Police Sgt. David Morales received a standing ovation from the audience earlier in the evening when he was named for the Government Excellence Award. Morales, who presenter Sam Stutzman called an unsung hero in the community, brought the Toys for Tots program to Kosciusko County in 1990 and continues to organize the toy drive.
The Business Leadership Network Employer of the Year, which honors businesses that give opportunities to employees with disabilities, went to Meijer. The store opened in Warsaw in June and hired six employees with disabilities.
MudLOVE founder Luke Wright received the Entrepreneur Award. In 2009 he began his business, which donates 20 percent of sales of its clay bracelets to provide clean water in Africa, and has seen it grow from his own garage to two store locations.
The Business Award went to Warsaw Autoplex, which has also expanded since opening in 2011; and the Industry Award went to Flexaust, which has grown from a $14 million to a $51 million business in the past decade.
Receiving the Service Business Award was Kosciusko REMC, which provides power to 17,500 homes and businesses and is now celebrating its 75th year. Also honored was Kellie Malcolm, named Young Adult Professional of the Year, and Greg Binkerd, named Chamber Ambassador of the Year.
Guest speaker Marc Hardy, director of Nonprofit Executive Education at the University of Notre Dame, shared the leadership examples he saw in his father and grandfather – one encouraging and the other miserly. Unlike his grandfather’s sparsely attended funeral, he said 1,000 people all had stories about his dad to share after he passed away.
“When we leave this world, that’s what we leave behind, the stories people tell of us,” Hardy said. “What stories will people tell about you?”[[In-content Ad]]
Alderfer was named Man of the Year and Moore named Woman of the Year during the Warsaw Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce 102nd annual banquet Thursday night. They joined eight other individuals and businesses honored for their impact on the community and for sharing their passion with others.
Moore launched the Bailey R. Moore Foundation in October 2012 to honor her daughter, who died in March 2011 at age 14 after battling Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. The foundation awards scholarships to Warsaw Community High School students and Junior Achievement, which is something Moore has said Bailey would have wanted.
“My one person who influenced me the most is my Bailey,” Moore said while receiving her award. “She taught me that there are bigger plans for all of us. We don’t know what that is, but I’m here to prove that there’s a bigger plan.”
Alderfer and business partner Mike Bergen created the Riley Kids Fund in summer 2011 to financially help families whose children are receiving care at Riley Hospital for Children. Alderfer’s own daughter, Katherine, now 7, was diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis at age 3 and received treatment at Riley.
The fund has raised more than $217,000 and disburses $1,000 every month to defray travel and other costs for Riley families.
“We live in the best place in the world, I truly love this community. It’s a truly amazing place,” Alderfer said while accepting the honor. “We were able to build a successful business because of the community, not us.”
Warsaw Police Sgt. David Morales received a standing ovation from the audience earlier in the evening when he was named for the Government Excellence Award. Morales, who presenter Sam Stutzman called an unsung hero in the community, brought the Toys for Tots program to Kosciusko County in 1990 and continues to organize the toy drive.
The Business Leadership Network Employer of the Year, which honors businesses that give opportunities to employees with disabilities, went to Meijer. The store opened in Warsaw in June and hired six employees with disabilities.
MudLOVE founder Luke Wright received the Entrepreneur Award. In 2009 he began his business, which donates 20 percent of sales of its clay bracelets to provide clean water in Africa, and has seen it grow from his own garage to two store locations.
The Business Award went to Warsaw Autoplex, which has also expanded since opening in 2011; and the Industry Award went to Flexaust, which has grown from a $14 million to a $51 million business in the past decade.
Receiving the Service Business Award was Kosciusko REMC, which provides power to 17,500 homes and businesses and is now celebrating its 75th year. Also honored was Kellie Malcolm, named Young Adult Professional of the Year, and Greg Binkerd, named Chamber Ambassador of the Year.
Guest speaker Marc Hardy, director of Nonprofit Executive Education at the University of Notre Dame, shared the leadership examples he saw in his father and grandfather – one encouraging and the other miserly. Unlike his grandfather’s sparsely attended funeral, he said 1,000 people all had stories about his dad to share after he passed away.
“When we leave this world, that’s what we leave behind, the stories people tell of us,” Hardy said. “What stories will people tell about you?”[[In-content Ad]]
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