Wayne County Area Chamber Celebrates Excellence at 2026 Annual Dinner

RICHMOND, Ind. — The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated the people, partnerships, and progress shaping the community during its 2026 Annual Dinner, themed “Wayne’s World: Party On, Wayne County!” The high-energy evening brought together business leaders, elected officials, educators, and community partners to recognize excellence across service, business, and individual leadership.

Emceed by Derric Watson, the event blended entertainment with purpose — opening with Wayne’s World–inspired tributes to what makes Wayne County unique, while spotlighting the individuals and organizations driving real momentum across the region.

“The Annual Dinner is our opportunity to pause, celebrate, and shine a spotlight on the people who move Wayne County forward,” said Melissa Vance, President & CEO of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce. “This year’s theme reminded us that while we work hard, we can also celebrate boldly — and our award recipients truly represent the heart, creativity, and commitment of this community.”

Celebrating Leadership & Impact
The evening began by recognizing outstanding volunteers from each of the Chamber’s five Action Committees, highlighting the behind-the-scenes leaders who support Chamber programs year-round:

Outstanding Chamber Committee Members

• Awards, Celebration & Events Committee: JoAnn Spurlock, Wayne Bank
• Business & Education Committee: Christy Tollett, Purdue Polytechnic Richmond
• HYPE Wayne County: Taylor Rogers, First Bank Richmond
• IMPACT Committee: Alfredo Diamond, Better Homes & Gardens First Realty Group
• Issues & Advocacy Committee: Marty Van Der Burgt, Belden

Outstanding Service Awards

• Volunteer of the Year: Rinda Litton
• Champion of Diversity: Belden’s Women in Manufacturing Program
• Bob Rosa Buy Local Award: Maria Haber, Paint the Towne
• Outstanding Service to Agriculture: Centerville Farmers Market
• Achievement in Excellence – Nonprofit: Girls Inc. of Wayne County

Outstanding Corporate Awards

• Partner in Education: Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County
• Achievement of Excellence – Small Business: Whisenhunt Construction
• Achievement of Excellence – Large Business: Milestone Contractors
• Corporation of the Year: Ahaus Tool & Engineering

Outstanding Individual Awards

• Young Professional of the Year: Mark Broeker, Neighborhood Health Center
• Educator of the Year: Peggy Muller, Nettle Creek School Corporation
• Excellence in Higher Education: Bonita Washington-Lacey, Earlham College
• Emergency Professional of the Year: Erin Campbell, Wayne County 911 Emergency Communications
• Art Vivian Distinguished Community Leader: Patricia Heiny

WC Leads Cohort

• Anna Garrett, Reid Health
• Chelse Leonard, Holiday Inn
• Evan Silvia, 3Rivers Federal Credit Union
• Eva Maritta, Earlham College
• Jarrett Focht, McGowan Insurance
• Kalleigh Smith, Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce
• Katie Stephan, Reid Health
• Lindsay Freed, Richmond Housing Authority
• Mary Parrett, Bethany Theological Seminary
• Matthew Keller, City of Richmond
• Nathan Parker, Wayne Bank
• Sam Battistone, Wayne County Public Defender’s Office
• Seth Stegall, Ivy Tech

In addition to celebrating achievements from 2025, Chamber leaders emphasized the momentum heading into 2026 — including expanded work-based learning initiatives, the continued growth of the Wayne County Leads (WC Leads) leadership program, new member benefits such as Chamber gift cards and health insurance options, and enhanced marketing efforts like the Behind the Business storytelling series.

“The theme we kept coming back to was momentum,” said AJ Sickmann, 2026 Chamber Board Chair. “Momentum in education, momentum in workforce development, momentum in business growth and momentum in how we tell Wayne County’s story.”
​
The Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Dinner remains one of the organization’s premier events, celebrating collaboration, leadership, and the shared belief that when businesses and community partners work together, the entire county thrives.

Check out all pictures on the Chamber Facebook

---