March 3, 2017 at 3:34 a.m.
Repeat winners
Fisher, Denney, Davis and Hall all pick up chamber awards again
Repeat winners
Copyright 2017, The Commercial Review
All Rights Reserved
Sometimes one award just isn’t enough.
And in rare cases, even two won’t do the trick.
Four of the honorees at Thursday’s Jay County Community Awards at Jay County High School were repeat winners in some fashion, including Fisher Packing taking home its third win for Business of the Year. Cindy Denney earned her second Citizen of the Year honor.
The Pastor Randy Davis-led organization A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope won Not For Profit of the Year just two years after Davis was honored with the Citizen of the Year award. That same year Dru Hall’s The Ritz Theatre earned the Business of the Year honor, and this year Hall returned to the stage as the recipient of the Dunkirk Commitment to Community Award.
Former chamber executive director Vicki Tague earned the Lifetime Achievement Award for her year’s of service, and other 2017 winners were Coca-Cola Refreshments for Industry of the Year, Laci Smitley for Young Professional of the Year and Portland Water Park for Innovator of the Year.
Fisher Packing, following up honors in 1999 and 2013, joined Hunts Emporium as the only three-time winners of the Business of the Year Award. The family-owned business, with matriarch Janice Fisher accepting the trophy, was founded in 1943 and now has retail locations in Portland and Muncie. Late last year, the business expanded its manufacturing operations in Redkey. Among the many awards it has won for its products, Fisher earned six gold medals and one silver medal in 2016 from Deutscher Fleischer-Verband and the American Association of Meat Processors.
Denney, who was honored as part of the Don Denney Family as the Citizen of the Year in 2010, last month teamed with Sam Glessner to win a silver medal in the Special Olympics National Bowling Unified Doubles Tournament in Las Vegas. Emcee Rob Weaver urged her not to cry as she made her way to the stage, leading her to momentarily feign walking back to her seat before accepting her award.
“I think I’m bowled over right now,” joked a still emotional Denney, who has been Jay County REMC’s director of marketing for 20 years. “This is such an honor. I am so humbled, I just don’t know what to say. Thank you, everyone. …
“This is a fabulous community, and I am honored and privileged to be a part of it. I love this place.
“Dorothy put it best, ‘There is no place like home.’ And Jay County will always be my home.”
In addition to her work with Jay County Special Olympics, Denney has co-chaired each of the last two United Way of Jay County campaigns, was a leader of the county’s Indiana bicentennial committee and volunteers with Arts Place.
Davis and his efforts with Brianna’s Hope have been a clear source of pride for Jay County since the organization was founded in 2015. He was honored for lifetime achievement that year, and in 2016 was a finalist for Citizen of the Year.
As an organization, Brianna’s Hope, a faith-based support group for those battling substance abuse, has expanded to 14 chapters in seven counties and is continuing to grow. It has served hundreds who are seeking to better their lives by overcoming addiction.
“The more retired I become, the harder I’m working, for less money, and loving it more,” said Davis. “The last 28 months have totally transformed my life …
“I am privileged to work with some of the most determined people you’ll find in this county or any other county.”
Hall, the vice president of Dunkirk’s S.D.P Manufacturing in addition to owning The Ritz Theatre, is also a member of Dunkirk Investment Group. He is a chamber of commerce board member, works extensively with Westlawn Elementary School and is also involved with Dunkirk Optimist Club and Dunkirk Kiwanis Club.
Tague, who was also a nominee for lifetime achievement last year, was honored for both her 21 years of service to the chamber and her civic and charitable work. She co-chaired the 2016-17 United Way of Jay County alongside Denney, and like the Citizen of the Year was also heavily involved in Jay County’s Indiana bicentennial celebration. She has also served on boards for the Jay County Hospital Foundation, Meridian Services, Portland Rotary Club, Minnetrista Cultural Center and Purdue Extension.
“Somebody asked me recently if receiving this award meant that you were old or if you had one foot in the grave … Maybe so,” joked Tague. “But the wonderful thing about having lived so many years and being able to be involved is you have the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people … who really love Jay County. And it’s been an honor to work with those folks in so many different ways.”
Coca-Cola Refreshments earned the Industry of the Year thanks to its success in manufacturing and its contributions to the community. The Portland facility produced 12.8 million cases of beverages last year in addition to supporting local charities like Jay County Cancer Society, Jay-Randolph Developmental Services and Angel Tree. In 2014, it ranked as Coke’s top facility nationally.
Smitley was honored as the Young Professional of the Year for her work as a business owner, real estate broker and auctioneer. She got her first embroidery job at the age of 15 and has since grown that interest into Patriot Sportswear. She works in her other two professions for her father’s Mel Smitley Real Estate and Auctioneering.
Portland Water Park, which earlier in the day was honored with the Engineering Excellence Award from the Indiana chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies, earned the Innovator of the Year award after bringing in 33,000 guests in its first season. The $3.5 million facility, which opened in May, includes two water slides, a dump bucket, a lily pad walk and a lazy river.
Other finalists were: Citizen of the Year — Jeanne Houchins and Dave Hyatt; Lifetime Achievement — Bill Hinkle and Jack Ronald; Business of the Year — True Value and The Tire Center; Industry of the Year — Ardagh Group and Moser Engineering; Not for Profit of the Year — Jay County Historical Society and John Jay Center for Learning; Dunkirk Community Commitment — Dan Watson and Tom Johnson; Young Professional of the Year — Wes Schemenaur and Kyle Champ; and Innovator of the Year — Joe on the Go and Audrey Muhlenkamp.
All Rights Reserved
Sometimes one award just isn’t enough.
And in rare cases, even two won’t do the trick.
Four of the honorees at Thursday’s Jay County Community Awards at Jay County High School were repeat winners in some fashion, including Fisher Packing taking home its third win for Business of the Year. Cindy Denney earned her second Citizen of the Year honor.
The Pastor Randy Davis-led organization A Better Life – Brianna’s Hope won Not For Profit of the Year just two years after Davis was honored with the Citizen of the Year award. That same year Dru Hall’s The Ritz Theatre earned the Business of the Year honor, and this year Hall returned to the stage as the recipient of the Dunkirk Commitment to Community Award.
Former chamber executive director Vicki Tague earned the Lifetime Achievement Award for her year’s of service, and other 2017 winners were Coca-Cola Refreshments for Industry of the Year, Laci Smitley for Young Professional of the Year and Portland Water Park for Innovator of the Year.
Fisher Packing, following up honors in 1999 and 2013, joined Hunts Emporium as the only three-time winners of the Business of the Year Award. The family-owned business, with matriarch Janice Fisher accepting the trophy, was founded in 1943 and now has retail locations in Portland and Muncie. Late last year, the business expanded its manufacturing operations in Redkey. Among the many awards it has won for its products, Fisher earned six gold medals and one silver medal in 2016 from Deutscher Fleischer-Verband and the American Association of Meat Processors.
Denney, who was honored as part of the Don Denney Family as the Citizen of the Year in 2010, last month teamed with Sam Glessner to win a silver medal in the Special Olympics National Bowling Unified Doubles Tournament in Las Vegas. Emcee Rob Weaver urged her not to cry as she made her way to the stage, leading her to momentarily feign walking back to her seat before accepting her award.
“I think I’m bowled over right now,” joked a still emotional Denney, who has been Jay County REMC’s director of marketing for 20 years. “This is such an honor. I am so humbled, I just don’t know what to say. Thank you, everyone. …
“This is a fabulous community, and I am honored and privileged to be a part of it. I love this place.
“Dorothy put it best, ‘There is no place like home.’ And Jay County will always be my home.”
In addition to her work with Jay County Special Olympics, Denney has co-chaired each of the last two United Way of Jay County campaigns, was a leader of the county’s Indiana bicentennial committee and volunteers with Arts Place.
Davis and his efforts with Brianna’s Hope have been a clear source of pride for Jay County since the organization was founded in 2015. He was honored for lifetime achievement that year, and in 2016 was a finalist for Citizen of the Year.
As an organization, Brianna’s Hope, a faith-based support group for those battling substance abuse, has expanded to 14 chapters in seven counties and is continuing to grow. It has served hundreds who are seeking to better their lives by overcoming addiction.
“The more retired I become, the harder I’m working, for less money, and loving it more,” said Davis. “The last 28 months have totally transformed my life …
“I am privileged to work with some of the most determined people you’ll find in this county or any other county.”
Hall, the vice president of Dunkirk’s S.D.P Manufacturing in addition to owning The Ritz Theatre, is also a member of Dunkirk Investment Group. He is a chamber of commerce board member, works extensively with Westlawn Elementary School and is also involved with Dunkirk Optimist Club and Dunkirk Kiwanis Club.
Tague, who was also a nominee for lifetime achievement last year, was honored for both her 21 years of service to the chamber and her civic and charitable work. She co-chaired the 2016-17 United Way of Jay County alongside Denney, and like the Citizen of the Year was also heavily involved in Jay County’s Indiana bicentennial celebration. She has also served on boards for the Jay County Hospital Foundation, Meridian Services, Portland Rotary Club, Minnetrista Cultural Center and Purdue Extension.
“Somebody asked me recently if receiving this award meant that you were old or if you had one foot in the grave … Maybe so,” joked Tague. “But the wonderful thing about having lived so many years and being able to be involved is you have the opportunity to work with so many wonderful people … who really love Jay County. And it’s been an honor to work with those folks in so many different ways.”
Coca-Cola Refreshments earned the Industry of the Year thanks to its success in manufacturing and its contributions to the community. The Portland facility produced 12.8 million cases of beverages last year in addition to supporting local charities like Jay County Cancer Society, Jay-Randolph Developmental Services and Angel Tree. In 2014, it ranked as Coke’s top facility nationally.
Smitley was honored as the Young Professional of the Year for her work as a business owner, real estate broker and auctioneer. She got her first embroidery job at the age of 15 and has since grown that interest into Patriot Sportswear. She works in her other two professions for her father’s Mel Smitley Real Estate and Auctioneering.
Portland Water Park, which earlier in the day was honored with the Engineering Excellence Award from the Indiana chapter of the American Council of Engineering Companies, earned the Innovator of the Year award after bringing in 33,000 guests in its first season. The $3.5 million facility, which opened in May, includes two water slides, a dump bucket, a lily pad walk and a lazy river.
Other finalists were: Citizen of the Year — Jeanne Houchins and Dave Hyatt; Lifetime Achievement — Bill Hinkle and Jack Ronald; Business of the Year — True Value and The Tire Center; Industry of the Year — Ardagh Group and Moser Engineering; Not for Profit of the Year — Jay County Historical Society and John Jay Center for Learning; Dunkirk Community Commitment — Dan Watson and Tom Johnson; Young Professional of the Year — Wes Schemenaur and Kyle Champ; and Innovator of the Year — Joe on the Go and Audrey Muhlenkamp.
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