The Indiana Chamber of Commerce honored U.S. Sen. Todd Young with the 2023 Birch Bayh-Richard Lugar Government Leader of the Year award.
Young's work to get the CHIPS and Science Act signed into law in August 2022 was cited as the reason for the honor.
“Sen. Young is a true public servant in every sense of the word,” said Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar in a press release. “What he helped accomplish with the CHIPS Act is so far reaching and really will benefit not only America but the whole western world.”
The act focuses on helping increase investment in high-tech research in the U.S. and bringing semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S.
“Reshoring our manufacturing capacity of semiconductors is essential if we want to wean ourselves off of dependency on countries that either don’t share our values or might harm our interests in the future,” Young said.
Young credits working in his family’s central Indiana heating and cooling business as the catalyst for his work ethic and desire to help entrepreneurs.
Last year’s Government Leader of the Year was Elaine Bedel, secretary and CEO of the Indiana Destination Development Corp.
The award will be bestowed at the chamber's 34th annual awards dinner Nov. 14 in Indianapolis. Former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy will be the keynote speaker.
The ceremony will feature three other statewide honors: the NextEra Energy Resources Community of the Year, Ogletree Deakins Business Leader of the Year and Dynamic Leader of the Year.
Young has an office in Valparaiso at 212 E. Lincolnway.
