2025 Annual Dinner - Community Updates for WayneCounty.info

On Friday evening, the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce hosted its Annual Dinner, drawing its largest audience to date. Inspired by Van Gogh’s iconic “Starry Night” painting, the event dazzled guests with stunning decorations as they gathered to celebrate both individual accomplishments and community achievements.

Tony Foster, 2025 Board Chair highlighted the “sketches” he has seen come to life throughout Wayne County from the Depot District bridge to the redevelopment of the Starr-Gennett area. He emphasized the positive momentum continuing throughout the community, noting, “the Chamber wants to make sure that we fill the most productive roles to help the community implement their plans and continue to prosper.”

The highest individual honor awarded by the Chamber was the Art Vivian Distinguished Community Leader going to Tracie Robinson of Better Homes and Gardens. Tracie shared her passion for community involvement: “As I became more involved, I began to see more opportunities with other organizations to help our city put its best foot forward. I quickly realized that I wanted to do more. The commitments that so many of us in the room have made to foster growth and change I believe are opportunities, not obligations.”

Tracie Robinson has been a dedicated and influential presence in the Wayne County community for many years. She applies her leadership expertise to several non-profit boards, including the Boys & Girls Club of Wayne County, the Historic Richmond Depot District, the Wayne County Area Chamber ACE’s Committee, and the Economic Development Corporation’s Marketing Committee. In addition to these roles, Tracie plays a pivotal part in organizing the Depot Festival of Trees, an event that has raised thousands of dollars for local charities.

Nicole Davis of Better Homes and Gardens shared her admiration for Tracie, saying, “She has taught me many things about how to lead an effective team by watching her for 20 + years. I am honored to work with her as she has helped me come into my own leadership role at Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate.”

Vandor Corporation was also a big winner, being recognized as the 2024 Corporation of the Year. Since relocating to Wayne County, Vandor has expanded its operations into multiple sectors, from plastics to automotive interior components to funeral products. Landon Elder, Vandor Corporation’s Director of Operations, commended the company’s impressive growth and credited its success to its dedicated employees, stating “We would not be who we are today without our incredible people who have been such a big part of our journey and huge contributors to our success.”

Marty VanDerBurgt, Vice President of Cable R&D at Belden, praised Vandor for its collaborative spirit and innovative approach, stating, “When we decided to develop our own internal packaging components, Vandor was our immediate partner of choice to develop and build the tooling as well as produce the initial parts.”

Another standout recipient of the evening was the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) of Wayne County, Indiana, honored with the 2024 Non-profit of the Year award. Over the years, the EDC has expanded its definition of economic development, broadening its efforts to include education, workforce recruitment and development, housing initiatives, and even childcare. Despite these diverse areas of focus, the EDC has remained steadfast in its core mission: to retain, expand, and attract industry to Wayne County.

Molly Kamrath, Director of Business Integration and Improvement at Anchor Ingredients, expressed her appreciation for the EDC’s unwavering support as the company established itself in the area. “The EDC made every effort they could to introduce us to other parties that would be useful to know, and specifically on a grant program that was critical for our facility to even exist.” She continued to say, “Anytime we called them for anything, they were always there to help us.”

The evening also recognized the fourth cohort of the Wayne County Leads (WC Leads) program, which focuses on the professional development of young leaders under the age of 40. Each participant was paired with a mentor throughout the program to support their growth and success. The graduating cohort was proudly acknowledged for their commitment to leadership and community development.

· Chloe Brown, Turner & Shepherd Insurance, mentored by Stasia Veramallay of Vista Investment Partners

· Lindsay Darnell, City of Richmond, mentored by Lynnette Davis with the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce

· Hannah Elder, Reid Health, mentored by IU East’s Michelle Malott

· Samantha Hutton, Boys & Girls Clubs of Wayne County, mentored by Melissa Matney with First Bank Richmond

· Savannah Lester, Natco Credit Union, mentored by Sarah Pennington with McGowan Insurance

· Eric Mejia, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, mentored by Eric VanVleet & Brad VanVleet of VanVleet Insurance

· John Przybysz, Reid Health, mentored by Belden’s Marty VanDerBurgt

· Taylor Rogers, First Bank Richmond, mentored by Reid Health’s Jessica Przybysz

· Brittany Santos, 3 Rivers Federal Credit Union mentored by Lisa Dollar with Primex Plastics.

· Matthew Schroeder, Merchants Bank of Indiana, mentored by Mark Broeker of Neighborhood Health Clinic

· Allison Steele, Ivy Tech Community College, mentored by Lindsay Sankey with Sankey Angus and Keystone Cooperative

· Amanda Upchurch, 3 Rivers Federal Credit Union, mentored by Opti-Vise IT’s, Kelly McQueen

“I leave this event each year feeling encouraged and proud to call Wayne County ‘home’,” said Chamber President and CEO Melissa Vance. “Every honoree has contributed to the fabric of our community. We are fortunate to have so many members and individuals leading the way for a strong future.”

All winners for the night included:

Art Vivian – Tracie Robinson

Bob Rosa Award – Renee Ullinskey

Champion of Diversity – The Black Legacy Project

Corporation of the Year – Vandor Corporation

Educator of the Year – Taylor Arthur

Educator of the Year, Higher Education – Christy Tollett

Emergency Professional of the Year – Detective Pat Tudor

Large Business of the Year – Commercial Maintenance Service

Small Business of the Year – Rick Thomas Masonry

Non-Profit of the Year – Economic Development Corporation of Wayne County, Indiana

Partner In Education – DOT Foods