The Crossroads Chamber recognized business leaders and contributors at its fourth annual Business Excellence Awards ceremony March 7.
Business leaders and community members gathered at the Barbara White Community Center in Merrillville to honor outstanding achievements in business, nonprofit work and individual contributions that impact Northwest Indiana.
“The impact that the business community has is astronomical,” said Shawn Petitt, Crossroads Chamber board member and chairman of the Business Excellence Awards, in a press release. “We go from 36,000 people to a daytime population of close to 100,000 people because of the business community. Those workers that come in and work daily, we appreciate it.”
The nine awards highlighted diverse accomplishments across categories ranging from sales growth to philanthropic initiatives. Rick Bella, Merrillville town council president, and Pete Land, Crown Point mayor, introduced the award winners.
The winners include:
- Rising Star — Linda Rosas, Merrillville
- Young Entrepreneur — Jacob Kiefer, This is Jacobs Rugs
- Minority Business — Sons of David
- Volunteer of the Year — Ryan Peterson, Chicago Title Northwest Indiana
- Legacy — The Pangere Corp.
- Corporate Responsibility — Purdue Federal Credit Union
- Nonprofit — The MAAC Foundation
- Business Success — Superior Air-Ground Ambulance Service
- Business Leader — John Jordan, owner of CertaPro Painters of Northwest Indiana
The Rising Star award for outstanding employees is new this year. Awards are typically reserved for business owners, directors or other leaders.
“It’s meant for up-and-comers in their organizations or companies,” said Deann Patena, president and CEO of the chamber, in a press release. “We’re really excited about it because it offers another perspective. You don’t have to be a top-level leader to be recognized and make an impact.”
The chamber congratulated the award winners and expressed gratitude to the community for its support.
“This is a great recognition for the credit union, especially given that we were recognized in our newest region,” said Jackie Hofman, senior vice president of human resources and marketing at Purdue Federal. “We are making a difference in the community each and every day.”
The Crossroads Chamber serves to connect a network of leaders, influencers, advocates, philanthropists and marketers in the Region. The nonprofit organization supports, collaborates with and promotes Northwest Indiana’s business community. The Crossroads Chamber was founded in 2010.
Caption: Deann Patena, president and CEO of the Crossroads Chamber, poses with the nine winners of its annual awards. (Provided by Crossroads Chamber)
