The Crawfordsville/Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce gathered Thursday at an awards banquet at Stone Creek Lodge to celebrate several businesses and community members who have made impacting contributions to the community, introducing a new set of awards this year.
The Chamber’s board president Skylar Stevenson also presented an additional award, the President’s Award to Stacy Sommer, the Chamber’s executive director.
Since taking on the role of executivedirector a little over three years ago, Sommer’s leadership has resulted in the addition of more than 100 new members to the Chamber.
“She organizes and hosts over 40 events per year to foster new membership, raise money for the chamber community, and support local businesses. Stacy loves this community,” Stevenson said during his presenting of the award. “Her engaging approach, passion for her work, and enthusiastic leadership make her a tremendous asset to the chamber. Her commitment speaks for itself. We believe it is time to turn the spotlight back on Stacy, the one who loves to shine a light on others throughout the community, celebrating, encouraging, and tirelessly supporting her members.”
The first of the new awards presented this year was the Inspiration Educators. The award winners were Amy Hensley, a kindergarten teacher at Hose Elementary, Jodie Webster from North Montgomery Middle School and Caitlyn Tennison an English teacher at Southmont High School.
Benchmark Family Services received the Nonprofit Excellence Award for their consistent efforts to support children throughout Montgomery County. In addition to serving foster youth, they have organized community-wide events such as a Back to School Bash, providing over 200 backpacks with school supplies, and a Community Christmas Party where approximately 300 presents were distributed to children of all ages. For foster families, they coordinate events like fall festivals, Easter egg hunts, and touch-a-truck experiences, creating opportunities for connection and support.
PAC Mid-West Rodeo won the Trailblazer Award for its innovative launch of a professional rodeo in Montgomery County in 2022. Drawing thousands of visitors from across the Midwest, the rodeo has boosted local tourism and economic growth. The rodeo offers family-friendly entertainment while supporting local businesses through vendor opportunities.
Tolin Family Farms won the Agricultural Excellence Award for outstanding leadership in agriculture and community service. The farm was recognized for producing high-quality products while educating customers about the agricultural process and supporting Montgomery County.
Hoosier Heartland State Bank won the Five Star Award for consistently delivering exceptional customer service and building strong, lasting relationships within Montgomery County. HHSB was recognized for being known for personalized attention, community involvement, and innovative solutions, exemplifying trust and excellence both in banking and local leadership.
Tony Bowen won the First Responder award for his nearly 20 years of dedicated service in Montgomery County’s Operations Division, where he has gone above and beyond in building strong community relationships. Known for his integrity and approachability, Bowen has been an advocate for the police department and currently serves as a DARE officer. This school year, he became a School Resource Officer for the Crawfordsville Community School Corporation.
Lali Hess of Juniper Spoon and The Table Spoon won the You Rock! award for her innovative approach and strong dedication to the community through her catering business. This year, she revitalized an empty downtown Crawfordsville location by expanding her business, providing fresh, healthy meals while making a lasting impact on the local economy.
The final award of the night went to Crawfordsville Audiology for the Spirit of the Chamber Award for its dedication to the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce. The company consistently participates in events, actively engages with the community and supports fellow members. Its enthusiastic promotion of chamber programs in person and on social media truly embodies the heart and mission of the chamber.
Sommer recognized members of the board of directors, including President Skylar Stevenson of Stevenson’s Ace Hardware and Stevenson Realty Group; Vice President Austin Earl of Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance; Secretary Kim Keeling of Lakeside Book Company; Treasurer Tara Miller of Tri County Bank & Trust; Kyle Brown of The Fountain Trust Company; Eric Dunaway of Wabash College; Gina Haile of The Boys and Girls Club of Montgomery County; Chuy Murillo of Acuity Brands and Blue Cactus Tacos & Tequila; Tyler Nichols of Taylor, Minnette, Schneider & Clutter; Natalie Pribble of Walmart Optical; and Margaret Sennett of Bane Welker and Sennett Cattle.
She also recognized Chamber ambassadors, including Wayne Black from Lakeside Book Company; Jessica Bokhart from Market Street Wealth Management Advisors; Shyana Busse from Busse’s Excavating; Jami Harrington from Crawfordsville Main Street; Monica Hampton from Carpenter Realtors; Caryn Heisel from HHSB; Allison Heunemann from CEL&P; Brian Norman from Acuity Brands; Brian Swick from Everwise Credit Union; Anthony Wireman from Tri County Bank & Trust; and Giovanni Zappala from Freckles Graphics.
Montgomery County native John Morgan was the Spotlight Speaker during the banquet., Morgan is a seasoned business leader and community advocate with a diverse background in global work, military service, and higher education. After graduating from Southmont High School in 1972 and serving in the Indiana National Guard, he pursued studies at Purdue, Indiana University, Harvard, and Dartmouth in fields ranging from engineering to strategic brand management. His professional career spanned leadership roles in major companies, including CEO of Acuity Brands Lighting and chairman, CEO, and president of Zepp Inc. In retirement, he became an entrepreneur involved in mechanical disinfectants, real estate development, and golf course ownership and operations. Deeply committed to community service, Morgan has supported numerous nonprofits and advisory boards, notably founding the Georgia United Way Gifts in Time Program.
In his speech, John Morgan praised the award nominees for their dedication, innovation and resilience, saying their work reflects the spirit of enterprise and community. He spoke about the importance of commerce as the foundation of economic growth and a key driver of opportunity, progress and quality of life. Morgan noted that while the business world continues to evolve, one thing remains constant: the need for strong community engagement.
Morgan highlighted the Chamber of Commerce as a vital part of this ecosystem, calling it more than just a networking group. He said the chamber unites local businesses and professionals around a shared goal, to strengthen the economy and improve community life. He also emphasized the importance of supporting schools, first responders and other community services, which help create safe, thriving environments where businesses can grow.
