On the evening of Friday, April 4, the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce hosted its 40th annual Salute to Leadership event at the Aberdeen Manor Ballroom in Valpo. Valpo Chamber members, business executives, elected officials, and other local leaders were among the 300 attendees who came out to show their support. Four attendees were recognized for the support they have shown the Chamber and the community at large throughout the years.
Matt Vessely, regional president for 1st Source Bank, received the “Distinguished Community Leader” award, while Pat McGinley, senior relationship manager at Everwise Credit Union, received the “ Legacy of Service” award. In addition to these traditional awards, the Chamber also presented two all-new ones this year, the “Emerging Leader” and “Chamber Champion” awards. Josh Schoon, project executive at Berglund Construction, and Mike Moreth, manager of Simko Signs, received these latter awards, respectively.
Stephanie Edwards, vice president of programs and communications for the Valpo Chamber, oversees the planning and execution of the Salute to Leadership events. She is pleased with the turnout at this year’s installment, which happens to be the largest in the history of the Salute to Leadership event.
“This is a night when we can truly honor some of the amazing leaders in the Valpo community,” Edwards said. “So many of our Chamber members are active in the community, and it’s nice to be able to recognize them for the hard work they do outside of their jobs and day-to-day lives. We’ve added two new awards this year because there are so many more people who deserve to be honored. We also wanted to step things up a notch this year for our 40th anniversary, so we went for a fancier gala style for tonight’s event. I hope everyone leaves feeling inspired and excited for our community.”
Before the four recipients accepted their awards, Kelly Anthony, Valpo Chamber Leadership Academy facilitator and the evening’s master of ceremonies, and Valpo Chamber President Rex Richards presented the awards. Among the recipients were Team Chevrolet on 30, which was honored for its 25 years of membership, as well as Porter-Starke Services and Ivy Tech Community College, both of which were recognized for their 50 years of membership. Mercury Drive-In Cleaners received an award for being a Valpo Chamber member for 75 years.
Vessely is deeply appreciative of receiving the “Distinguished Community Leader” award, which recognizes the recipient’s contributions to the business community and is the highest honor the Valpo Chamber can bestow. The Chamber gifted him a brand-new Igloo cooler, emblazoned with his name and the award title, to keep his drinks cold on future golfing trips. He looks forward to further impacting his community through his work.
“This is an amazing honor,” Vessely said. “It’s a tremendous way to be recognized by the Chamber. I can remember sitting in this room many times and thinking, ‘If I do, well, maybe someday that could be me up there receiving an award.’ I'm kind of floored by the fact that I've been chosen. Kudos to the Chamber for hosting this event every year and shining a light on the people who are making a difference in this special community. It’s inspirational.”
McGinley has worked for years with organizations like United Way, the American Heart Association, the Young Man Christian Association, the Boys & Girls Club, and the Chamber. The Chamber awarded McGinley a wooden swing set from which he will be able to enjoy the pleasant weather of the coming months. McGinley expresses his pride at the legacy he’s left behind.
“I am absolutely honored that the Chamber chose to give me the Legacy of Service Award,” McGinley said. “Over the years, I've always been very involved in the community. I was nominated by the Family and Youth Services Bureau of Porter County, and I take a lot of pride in that fact. That’s because they primarily focus on helping kids, and they live by their motto that ‘All kids matter.’ Receiving this award has helped me realize what legacy means. I’ve done something that people have noticed and valued. I find it very rewarding.”
Schoon, a recent graduate of the Chamber’s Leadership Academy program, was honored with the “Emerging Leader” award for the work he has done with organizations like the Boys & Girls Club and Liberty Rec Babe Ruth softball league.
“I've always been a big believer in getting involved in the community,” Schoon said. “From early on in my career, I've had a passion for supporting the youth and really helping develop the next generation of leaders. I’ve had the opportunity to shape the lives of many young kids in a variety of ways. I'm really excited to be honored along with three other extremely deserving award recipients tonight. And you know, it's great to be recognized for the effort and time that I’ve put into building up and supporting our community.”
The evening concluded as the attendees gathered to offer their congratulations to the award recipients and chat amicably among themselves.
