Night of honors

This year’s big winners are all about the mileage.

One helps put motorists behind the wheel to drive them.

The other organized volunteers to run them from coast to coast.

Rock and Kathy Fuqua were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award and Donald Gillespie with the Citizen of the Year Award on Thursday evening during the 2018 Jay County Community Awards ceremony.

Others honored at the Jay County Chamber of Commerce program following a dinner at Jay County High School were:

•Young Professional of the Year — Kyle Teeter

•Small Community Commitment — Millie Ellis

•Non-Profit of the Year — The Portland Foundation

•Innovator of the Year — Jay County Event Center

•Industry of the Year — POET Biorefining

•Dunkirk Community Commitment Award — Connie Retter

•Business of the Year — The Ritz Theatre

The Fuquas, owners of Fuqua Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, were honored not only for their decades in business but also for their various efforts to help revitalize the Dunkirk community. They have worked to covert the former Dunkirk fire station into a local art center and been key in getting several new businesses started in the city. They are also supporters of a variety of organizations, including Optimist clubs, Arts Place, Head Start and junior league baseball.

Rock Fuqua spent the bulk of his acceptance speech promoting other Dunkirk businesses that he had a hand in starting, including Glass Capital Cafe and Sculpt Fitness.

“The last few years, thanks to a great general manager, he’s allowed us to get away and do some other things,” said Fuqua. “This past year, we had some wins. …

“Thanks a bunch for everything. We’re very humbled.”

Gillespie, a longtime banker in Jay County who also serves as Portland City Court Judge, was honored in large part for his involvement with America’s Run for the Fallen. He was the coordinator for the event that saw hundreds of volunteers team to run from Fort Irwin, California to Arlington National Cemetery in honor of those who have lost their lives in the war on terror. He also ran more than 100 miles in the event in five states, including the final leg into Arlington National Cemetery.

He dedicated the award to those to those who America’s Run for the Fallen honors.

“I’ve got to thank my mentor. I have several of them, but my biggest mentor is my father,” said Gillespie. “I love my father and my mother. … Thank you. I could not ask for better parents.” 

The Ritz Theatre took home the Business of the Year Award for the second time in four years after also winning the 2014 honor. The Dru Hall family has invested in upgrades at the facility, including new digital projectors, since 2013.

Ellis was honored for her years of service to the Pennville community. She serves on the town council and is also a nail technician for Nu Beginning – Simply Feet Salon.

Retter has been a fixture as a community leader in Dunkirk for decades, including as a current member of the board of The Dunkirk Foundation, Dunkirk 4th of July Committee and Glass Days Committee. She was an original member of the West Jay Community Center board and has served on Dunkirk City Council.

POET has been in business in Portland since 2007 and produces about 80 million gallons of ethanol each year. The company has invested about $17 million in expansion projects since it opened, and the local facility has won POET’s annual Top Performance Award three times.

The Portland Foundation is the second-oldest foundation of its kind in Indiana and has awarded more than $11 million in grants and $6 million in scholarships since 1951. Executive director Doug Inman said he was accepting the award for all of the foundation’s donors who have contributed to building what is now a $37 million endowment.

Owners Brad and Pat Daniels have transformed Jay County Event Center at the west side of Jay County Antique Mall into a facility with a stage, bar, commercial kitchen, sound system and a capacity of 600. It has hosted a variety of events, including craft shows, stand-up comedy, professional wrestling and weddings.

Teeter is the owner of Display Craft in Portland. He previously owned Metal Hide Powder Coatings and The Flower Nook and volunteers his time with projects involving the arts and graphic design.

“I’m the luckiest guy in the world,” said Teeter. “I get to wake up every day and do what I love. And in my hometown to boot.”

Other finalists were:

•Young professional — Kayla Darby and Zach Chenoweth

•Innovator — Portland True Value Hardware and Valentine Feed and Supply

•Not-for-profit — Museum of the Soldier and State of the Heart Care

•Business — Bollenbacher & Associates and Remember When

•Industry — Moser Engineering and Carrera Manufacturing

•Dunkirk Community Commitment — Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department and Mike and Wilburta Shannon

•Small Community Commitment — Mike Blowers (Bryant) and Karen Keen (Salamonia)

•Citizen — Seth Scott and Lori Reece

•Lifetime Achievement — Jack Ronald