Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Warsaw/Kosciusko County Chamber of Commerce members and guests gathered at the Ramada Plaza Hotel ballroom Wednesday night for their 88th annual membership dinner meeting.
The evening is an opportunity for the organization to set administrative offices, hear reports about various committees and honor individuals and business representatives with Dimensions of Excellence Awards.
Two area educators were named recipients of the top individual awards.
Dr. Karen Boling, Tippecanoe Valley School Corp. superintendent, was named Woman of the Year; and Dr. Steve Grill, Grace College dean of community education, was named Man of the Year.
Boling is the only woman school superintendent in the county. In addition to her administrative duties at Tippecanoe Valley, she serves on the Chamber's educational council and board of directors, the Kosciusko County Board of Health, the Committee to Commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the Cardinal Center and the United Way boards of directors and the county's juvenile justice task force, Leadership Academy and Foundation Scholarship Committee.
Boling said she was humbled by the award and thanked those in attendance.
"I look around and see so many people deserving of this award," she said. "I'm very humbled."
Grill, who echoed Boling's remarks and thanked mentors Jean Northenor and his wife, Susan, when accepting the award, serves on the Chamber's education council, the Kosciusko County Leadership Academy, the Kosciusko County Foundation and the Biomet Foundation Scholarship Selection Committee. He was director of Ivy Tech State College for a decade.
The Man and Woman of the Year awards have been co-sponsored by the Times-Union and WRSW Radio Station for 40 years. Norm Hagg, the Times-Union's general manager, presented the honors.
The Athena Award, which recognizes individuals who provide opportunities for women, was given to Jane Greene of the Cardinal Center.
Presenters Barbara Dombkowski and Darlleen Shepherd said Greene oversees 51 managers at the 10th largest not-for-profit industry in the state, and 41 are women.
She encourages everybody, her colleagues said of her, and actively promotes women.
The Government Excellence Award was given to Mac Silveus, former Warsaw city councilman, who served on the board for years.
In Silveus' absence, his wife, Jean, accepted the award, presented by Jean Northenor.
Scott Halmi of the Oakwood Inn and Conference Center, Syracuse, accepted the business award. The center is the largest in Kosciusko County, able to accommodate 1,000 people, following renovations in 1996. The center was established for the tourist trade in 1875. The business award was given by Mike Kubacki.
Greg and Donna Arnett, owners of Little Fox Computer, were named the Entrepreneurs of the Year. Arnett said the Warsaw community is the best in the United States.
The award was presented by Clint Pletcher. Pletcher also mentioned that Steve and Bruce Shaffner, owners of the Ramada Plaza Hotel, have been named Plaza of the Year by the franchise organization, its highest honor. The Shaffners were named first runner-up for the award last year.
The Dimensions of Excellence Award for small industry went to John and Shirley Hand, owners of Lake City Enterprises.
When accepting the honor, Hand further delighted the crowd by mentioning he and his wife were celebrating their 43rd wedding anniversary that evening.
Lake City Enterprises has been named one of the top 100 growing industries in Indiana. The award was presented by Dennis Beville.
Paragon Medical Inc., Pierceton, received the large industry award. Paragon is owned by Tobias Buck, Ron Vanderpool and Vern Johnson. Buck accepted the award for the trio, which was presented by Andy Lewis.
