Chamber gives annual awards at birthday party/annual meeting

Great contributions and innovations by large and small businesses — as well as CEOs, employees and its volunteers — were honored by The Greater Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce with its 2010 awards:

• Small Business of the Year: Indiana Stamp. The company has a long-standing history of corporate citizenship and industry leadership. It was honored as a United Way Pillar of Support in 2009, and its senior leadership team has served on more than twelve different local boards of directors over the past ten years.
• Large Business of the Year: The TinCaps. The company has made a continual effort to give back to the community and has been a major player in downtown revitalization and in providing a sense of community pride. It attracts visitors and business people alike to Fort Wayne and in 2010 set another record for attendance.
• CEO of the Year: Mark Carboni, president and CEO of Tri-State Maintenance. Carboni devotes countless hours to our region’s not-for-profit organizations and charities, has served on at least ten philanthropic boards of directors, and was named a Future Forty Business Leader in 2006.
• Employee of the Year: Ronald Turpin, vice president of finance with Lincoln Financial Group. According to his nomination form, Turpin’s caring personality, his passion and his self-development have all contributed to his success within his company and the community. The honoree is the board chairman for the United Way of Allen County and vice president of finance with Lincoln Financial Group.
• The Nina Grill Volunteer of the Year Award: Dave Kaverman of Anthony Wayne Business Exchange. Kaverman has been a volunteer for ten years, is a part of the small business advisory council, attends seven meetings a month as the chair for the seven CEO Roundtables, and is employed by Anthony Wayne Business Exchange.
• Honorary Attendee Award: Tony Lardydell, who is a longtime supporter of Fort Wayne, has his own seat at Club Soda and at the Embassy Theater, and has 34 bricks and tiles that he has personally funded for various Fort Wayne organizations.

The winners of the awards were announced at The Chamber’s 135th Birthday Bash, which took place in conjunction with the Chamber’s Annual Meeting on Thursday, November 4, at the new Courtyard by Marriott in downtown Fort Wayne.

Caption for photo: From left are Bill Collins and Tom Beaver of Indiana Stamp, Dave Kaverman of Anthony Wayne Business Exchange, Sandi Kemmish of the Lincoln Financial Foundation accepting the award for Ronald Turpin, David Lorenz and Chris Snyder of the TinCaps, Tony Lardydell, and Mark Carboni of Tri-State Maintenance.