The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center will bestow seven awards during its 2025 Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards.
“Our Entrepreneurial Excellence Awards allow us to tell the stories of the business owners and advocates who are key components of our entrepreneurial community,” said NW-ISBDC Regional Director Lorri Feldt in a press release.
The team will honor the E-Day Class of 2025 during a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville.
“Our team is always inspired and energized by the vital impact our honorees are making in Northwest Indiana,” Feldt said. “We look forward to welcoming the Class of 2025 and celebrating their unique individual journeys of business ownership and entrepreneurial support.”
This year's honorees are:
- Small Business Persons of the Year: Ryan and Chris Sandberg, Sandberg’s Towing & Recovery, Valparaiso
- Women-Owned Business of the Year: Carol Harsh, Wild Birds Unlimited, Crown Point and Schererville locations
- Young Entrepreneur: Emmani Ellis, No Limit Living, Gary
- Advocate for Youth Entrepreneurship: Antonio “Tone” Conley, BuddingPreneurs, Michigan City
- Small Business Advocate: Trudy Menke, Reframing Leadership, LaPorte County
- Emerging Business: Joseph Podgorski, Project R3D, DeMotte
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Ross Pangere, The Ross Group, Portage
Award winners are chosen from the seven counties the NW-ISBDC serves, including Lake, Porter, Newton, Jasper, La Porte, Starke and Marshall.
Tickets for the luncheon and awards ceremony are available here. Purchase by Nov. 7.
Look for profiles of the winners in Northwest Indiana Business Magazine's December-January 2026 issue.
