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Since 1989, One Southern Indiana, and the Southern Indiana Chamber of Commerce before it, has been honoring the best in Southern Indiana and metro Louisville.

ACE AWARDS COMMUNITY LEADER
2021 Linda Speed, Community Foundation of Southern Indiana
2020 Jerry Finn, Caesars Foundation of Floyd County
2019 Dana Huber, Huber’s Orchard
2018 Dr. Travis Haire, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
2017 Leslie Lewis-Sheets, LL&A Interior Design
2016 Robert Campbell, Jacobi, Toombs, & Lanz, Inc.
2015 Stefanie Griffith, Strandz Salon & Threadz Boutique
2015 Robert Kleehamer, River Valley Financial Bank
2014 Susie Stewart, Women’s Foundation of Southern Indiana/Voluforms
2013 Miguel Hampton, F5 Enterprises, LLC
2012 Vern Eswine, The Marketing Company

ACE AWARDS PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
2021 Scott Olinger, Harding, Shymanski & Company, P.S.C.
2020 Dr. Eric Yazel, Clark County Health Department
2019 Lisa Huber, Duke Energy
2018 Stephen Lukinovich, MCM CPA’s & Advisors
2017 Doug York, Rodefer Moss
2016 Larry Myers, First Savings Bank
2015 Dr. Daniel Eichenberger, Baptist Health
2015 Blayr Barnard, ISBDC
2014 Dr. Rita Hudson Shourds, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
2013 Kent Lanum, Paul Ogle Foundation, Inc.
2012 Jerry Finn, Horseshoe Foundation of Floyd County
2011 Kevin Cecil, Your Community Bank
2010 Robert E. Kleehamer, River Valley Financial Bank
2009 John A. Hawkins, Kovert Hawkins Architects
2008 Doug Drake, Personal Counseling Service, Inc.
2007 Jerri Quillman, Floyd Memorial Hospital & Health Services
2006 Ron Barnes, McCauley Nicolas, CPAs & Advisors
2005 Houston Thompson, Interfaith Community Council
2004 Dr. Dennis McClain, Norton Occupational Medicine
2003 Sister Barbara Ann Zeller, Providence Self-Sufficiency Ministries
2002 Betty Dunham, Rauch Industries
2001 Joan Smith, Noah’s Ark Children’s Village
2000 Dr. Daniel Akin, Advanced ENT & Allergy
1999 J. Patrick Byrne, MCM CPA’s & Advisors
1998 Dale Gettelfinger, Dale Gettelfinger
1997 Caren Marshal, Bridgepointe & Goodwill
1996 Dr. Maurice John, John-Kenyon American Eye Institute
1995 Bryant Hanson, Floyd Memorial Hospital & Health Services
1994 Dr. Bradley C. Black, Eye Associates of Southern Indiana
1993 Robert Lanum, Stites & Harbison, PLLC
1992 Larry Ricke, Ricke & Associates, Insurance and Financial Solutions
1991 Charles Reisert, Century 21 Realty Group

ACE AWARDS YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR
2021 Zack Flanagan, Board and You Bistro
2020 Dr. Joshua Kornberg, Ivy Tech Community College
2019 Josh Staten, City of New Albany
2018 Jessica Carroll, The New Washington State Bank
2017 Chris Garten, Signature Countertops
2016 Jill Peden, L&D Mail Masters, Inc.
2015 Teressa Jackson, Rauch, Inc.
2015 Jillian Cantu, Ivy Tech Community College
2014 Andrew Takami, Purdue Polytechnic New Albany, Purdue University

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNER OF THE YEAR ONE AWARD
2020 Processer Career Education Center

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPACT PROJECT ONE AWARD
2021 IQpack – now given away at Annual Meeting
2020 Pharmacord
2019 Sazerac
2018 Mister “P” Express, Inc.
2017 POSCO AAPC
2016 J. Knipper and Company, Inc.
2015 Autoneum North America
2014 Catamaran Corp.
2013 Project of the Year: Amazon Fulfillment Center, Honorable Mention: Advanced Metal Technologies and Keystone Automotive Industries
2012 Joey Rivera, Rivera Consulting Group
2011 John Gladden, Accent Marketing Services
2010 Marti Moretti, Heartland Payment Systems
2009 Jerry Acy, River Ridge Development Authority
2008 Shirley Ohta, Chuck Moore, Rita Moore
& Hank Taylor; Eagle Steel Products, Inc.
2007 Martin Padgett, Clark Memorial Hospital business retention & expansion project of the year one award
2018 Smartbox, LLC
2017 AssuredPartners
2016 Beach Mold & Tool, Inc.

NONPROFIT PROGRAM OF THE YEAR ONE AWARD
2021 Impact100 Southern Indiana
2020 Hosparus Health
2019 Metro United Way
2018 Communities in Schools of Clark County -CIS Model of Integrated Student Supports

WORKHUB INNOVATION IN CULTURE ONE AWARD
2020 Kentuckiana Wood Products, Inc.

WORKHUB INNOVATION OF THE YEAR ONE AWARD
2019 Park Community Credit Union University of Park Employee Development Program
2018 Heartland, A Global Payment Company

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, 51 OR MORE EMPLOYEES ONE AWARD
2021 DMLO
2020 The New Washington State Bank
2019 MCM CPAs & Advisors
2018 John Waggoner, HMS Global Maritime
2017 Jennifer Copper, First Harrison Bank
2016 Chris Bottorff, Centra Credit Union
2015 Jim Spradlin, Park Community Credit Union
2014 Kevin Cecil, Your Community Bank
2013 Chad and Travis Unruh, MAC Construction & Excavating Inc.
2012 Candice Barksdale, Goodwill of Southern Indiana
2011 Gary Maloney, Nu Yale
2010 Lisa Brooking, True Colors Tanning, LLC
2009 Tom Weber & Donny Weber, The Weber Group, Inc.
2008 Wayne Estopinal, The Estopinal Group, LLC
2007 Diane Fischer, L&D Mail Masters, Inc.
2006 A. Thomas Hardy, Key Electronics, Inc.
2005 Tom Lumley, The Travel Authority
2004 Dana & Ted and Jan & Greg Huber, Huber Orchard & Winery
2003 Randy Napier, Southern Indiana Rehab
2002 Bob Sr., Gladys, Phil, Jack, Bob Jr., and Wayne Koetter, Koetter Construction, Inc.
2001 Mark Deuser & John Vellinger, Space Hardware Optimization Technology, Inc. (SHOT, Inc.)
2000 Alberta, Don, Paul and Todd Perkins, Amatrol, Inc.
1999 Carolyn Thomas & Bekki Jo Schneider, Derby Dinner Playhouse
1998 Sam Anderson, Sam’s Food & Spirits
1997 Fred Conway, Discount Labels
1996 Joe Huber Sr., Huber’s Farm & Restaurant
1995 Les Albro, Bales Motor Co.
1994 Mike Sodrel, Sodrel Truck Lines Inc. & Free Enterprise System, Inc.
1993 Jay Brodsky, Ran-Paige Co., Inc.
1992 George Hughes, Sr., Hughes Group, Inc.
1991 Bill Beach, Beach Mold & Tool
1990 Van Carlisle, Fireking International
1989 Charles Garmon, Key Communications

BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, 50 OR FEWER EMPLOYEES ONE AWARD
2021 Starlight Coffee Co. and Roastery
2020 Extol Magazine
2019 Orange Clover, Rachel Smallwood
2018 Andrew Aebersold, Mediaura
2017 Ian Hall, The Exchange
2016 Bill Hanson, News & Tribune
2015 Warren & Jill Schimpff, Schimpff’s Confectionery
2014 Sounds Unlimited Productions, Brent Rogers and Chris Hughes
2013 Hawkeye Security & Electronics, Matt and Sarah Drexler & Charles Porter
2012 Sarah & Michael Rowe, Denzinger Family Dentistry
2011 Allen Howie, Idealogy Marketing + Design
2010 Bruce & Julie Morris, Morris Images
2009 Lana & David Aebersold, Aebersold Florist
2008 Michael Becht, Audiacom
2007 Terri Lynn Doyle, Terri Lynn’s Catering by Design, Inc.
2006 Amy & Carl Romines, ACR Computer Resources, Inc.
2005 Glenn Spencer, Spencer Machine & Tool Co., Inc.
2004 Stefanie Griffith, Stacy Tunnell and Julie Young, Strandz & Threadz Boutique
2003 Phil Jones & Tahnya Jones, ServPro
2002 Rod Richardson, David Durik & Philip Hawkins, Planet Telecom
2001 Kevin Becht, Becht Heating & Cooling, LLC
2000 Doug Julius, Walnut Ridge Pool and Patio, Inc.
1999 Jesse Ballew, Jesse Ballew Enterprises
1998 Wayne & Thresa Estopinal, The Estopinal Group
1997 Dan & Vicki Williamson, the ProMedia Group
1996 Terry & Joe Bivens, LIFETECH
1995 Bill & Mary Lou Heinz, H & H Systems and Design
1994 Diane Fischer, L & D Mail Masters
1993 Robert Libs, Arthur M. Libs & Sons
1992 Mike Pattison, Cardinal Communications
1991 Dick McGinnis, Request-A-Temp Temporaries
1990 Leroy Kellems & Jim Coe, Kellems & Coe
1989 Tom Sander, S & R Truck Tire

RISING STAR ONE AWARD
2021 The Sporting Club at the Farm
2020 Taylor’s Cajun Meats
2019 Safety Net, LC
2018 Laurie Haag, Eventful 203
2017 Rachel Hall, Orange Clover
2016 Jason Applegate, Extol Magazine
2015 Ryan & Stephanie Linnehan, Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt
2014 Chad and Lauren Coulter, Uptown Art
2013 Dr. Michael Kirchner, Kirchner Dental
2012 Matthew Saltzman, Pallas Partners
2011 Angie Bowser, Click Portrait Studios
2010 Danielle Periago, Periago Orthodontics, LLC
2009 David & Slyvia Amos, Sign Makers Etc.
2008 Denise Orwick & Laura Pfaffenberger, Precision Compounding Pharmacy
2007 Chris Kanemitsu, Kerry Kanemitsu, Steven Johnson & William Ross; Energy Tech 21
2006 Patrick Hammer, Wellstone Regional Hospital
2005 Lisa & Rusty Brooking, Jessica Walker and Renee Brooking, True Colors Tanning
2004 Mike Motsinger & Kent Lanum, nFusion Technologies
2003 Joyce & Roy Vallance, The UPS Store – Floyds Knobs
2002 Jeff & Mark Wenning, Wenning Trailer Service, Inc.
2001 Shannon Yeker & Jeff Mathes, Visual Savvy, Inc.
2000 Allen Howie, Brainstorm Design & Advertising
1999 Billy Greenwell & Ronnie Wolfe, Greenwell Plumbing
1998 Judy Hubbuch, ProStaffing
1997 Kye Hoehn, Kye’s at Water Tower Square
1996 Stefanie Griffith, Stacy Tunnell, & Julie Young, Strandz Salon &Threadz Boutique
1995 Carol Shope, Clarksville Amoco Station
1994 Kathy Combs, Combs Cleaning
1992 Mark Zahler, Accu-Care Rehab., Inc.

GROWING HEALTHY LIVES ONE AWARD
2017 University of Louisville
2016 Baptist Health
2015 Floyd Memorial Hospital & Health Services

DIVERSITY CHAMPION ONE AWARD
2017 Indiana University Southeast
2018 City of Jeffersonville, Indiana

ISBDC recently announced 5 programs to assist small businesses during this economic slow-down.  We encourage you to look the programs over and see if one of them is a good fit for your business.

Project HOPE

Project HOPE is back! Indiana SBDC and Indiana University Kelley School of Business are partnering to support the long-term economic recovery of Hoosier small businesses and entrepreneurs. Eligible companies may apply for no-cost assistance to help establish or increase their online presence through website development, e-commerce support and other digital tools and services.

IU will be starting with 10 projects on January 18th, so if you have anyone that has been eager to participate, this would be a great time to get them submitted. In February IU will ramp back up to completing 40 projects every two weeks. ISBDC will not be publicly promoting the program until mid-February so existing clients can get in the queue early.

COVID-19 Response Plan 

Under the Governor’s Executive Order 20-50, all businesses or entities continuing or resuming operations in person are required to develop a COVID-19 Response Plan to implement measures and institute safeguards to ensure a safe environment for their employees, customers, clients, and members. This response plan must be made available to employees and posted publicly for customers.

Working with Servant HR, ISBDC has developed a COVID-19 Response Plan template that meets the requirements outlined in the executive order. ISBDC has also compiled additional resources to help businesses meet this requirement.

INTAP

This program can provide some matching funds for small businesses in need of a consultant who offers technical and professional services. This can be technological, legal, financial, marketing and a host of different specialized needs. https://isbdc.org/indiana-technical-assistance-program-intap/

HireUp

This year-round program connects eligible small businesses with Quintegra, a talent connection firm, to identify qualified candidates, provide screening and background checks, facilitate interviews, and establish onboarding process to ensure continued success of the employee. https://isbdc.org/hireup/

Export Indiana Accelerator Program

The Export Indiana Accelerator is a 12-week, no-cost, annual program offering Hoosier small businesses professional export guidance and leading research resources to create an executable, proactive Export Business Plan. https://isbdc.org/export-indiana-accelerator-program/

By Dr. Uric Dufrene, Sanders Chair in Business and Professor of Finance, Indiana University Southeast

The Covid-19 pandemic has led to a proliferation of self-employment and small business formation.   In a recent Wall Street Journal article (In the Covid Economy, Laid-Off Employees Become New Entrepreneurs – WSJ), the introductory sentences sum up the situation quite well, “The coronavirus destroyed jobs.  It also created entrepreneurs.”    The article cites Census Bureau data that applications for businesses with no employees surged 32% in the first 9 months of 2020.   While we do not have access to non-employer business data at the county level just yet, we do have establishment and payrolls data at the county level as recently as the second quarter of 2020.

Whenever we are talking about the state of the economy, or the general outlook, the focus is usually on the number of jobs.   For example, the monthly employment report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics is probably the most closely watched economic indicator.   Equity market reaction can be quite volatile when the report is released on the first Friday of the month.

In reviewing the latest Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages data, I did notice an interesting pattern developing, and one that is positive for Southern Indiana.  Rather than focus on the number of jobs, we are going to examine the change in the number of establishments across Southern Indiana.  In this case, establishments include firms that have employees.    These data do not include self-employed entrepreneurs mentioned in the Wall Street journal article, but we are able to get a pulse of overall economic development.   As a region, are we seeing more net business formation, or are business closures outpacing any new business development?

In the second quarter of 2020, the five counties (Clark, Floyd, Harrison, Scott, and Washington) of Southern Indiana had the second highest, among all Indiana metro areas, in the percentage change in business establishments from the previous year.    In absolute terms, Southern Indiana added 135 establishments from the previous year during the second quarter and added 203 in the first quarter.   On a percentage basis (this allows us to control for the metro area size), the five counties of Southern Indiana (2.4%) were outpaced only by the Lafayette-West Lafayette (4.8%) metro region.

When we examine all of 2020, both the first and second quarters combined, we see a similar result.   The average percentage change from the previous year, in new establishments, for Southern Indiana (2.9%) was the second highest among all Indiana metro areas.  Like the 2^nd quarter of 2020, Lafayette-West Lafayette (5.7%) had the highest gain for all of 2020.

Going back just a bit further, we see a similar pattern.   Over the past 4 quarters, Southern Indiana had the second highest percentage change (2.5%) in establishments from the previous year.   Lafayette-West Lafayette had the highest (4.1%).   As a comparison, nine other metro areas across Indiana had either negative or flat changes in establishments over the same time-period.  So, a gain of 2.5% is no small feat!

What does all this mean for Southern Indiana?  In a nutshell, this is good news.    A region can only sustain long-term economic development if business formation is outpacing business deaths.   New establishments replace old establishments, and investment, both from the outside and within, signal an overall robust economic development environment.   In a recent article in the Southern Indiana Business Source (November-December 2020), I documented the strong net migration to Southern Indiana.  These data combined with the recent activity on the change in establishments send positive signals about the growth trajectory of Southern Indiana.

Data source:  STATS Indiana Quarterly Census on Employment and Wages.

by Emma Austin

Louisville Courier Journal, December 17, 2020

Editor’s note: As we flip the calendar to 2021, The Courier Journal put together a list of 12 notable individuals who are committed to the advancement of Louisville. They include social justice advocates, business leaders, coaches, health care professionals, restaurateurs, arts leaders and more. 

This is one in a series of 12 people who are doing their best to help make Kentuckiana even better in the new year. 

Wendy Dant Chesser always hoped to be back home again in Southern Indiana.

Her career took her away from Jeffersonville where she was raised, not long after she graduated from Indiana University Southeast in 1991. She moved further north up U.S. 31 with each new job opportunity, eventually ending up in Berrien County, Michigan.

Then, in 2012, the president’s position opened at One Southern Indiana, the economic development organization and chamber of commerce for Clark and Floyd counties.

“I get a phone call from my mother, and she says, ‘I think it’s time you come home,’” Dant Chesser told The Courier Journal in a recent phone interview.

Eight years after returning home, Dant Chesser, 51, found herself in the difficult position of trying to leading businesses in her hometown and neighboring areas through the downturn caused by coronavirus pandemic.

Dant Chesser, the chamber’s president and CEO, said it became clear in early March the COVID-19 pandemic would impact the local economy. There were major event cancellations and shutdowns as everybody stayed home.

“I will never want to live through a time like that again, but it showed absolutely the best of our business community in Southern Indiana,” she said.

She and her 12-member team at One Southern Indiana came up with a plan involving three tracks.

The first, called 1si Connects, involved sending surveys to the chamber’s members to see what businesses needed and what they had to offer and then connecting those resources.

For instance, one major need was hand sanitizer, which was in short supply in early spring as people scrambled to stock up. One Southern Indiana learned one of its partners, Huber’s Orchard, Winery & Vineyards, was manufacturing hand sanitizer, so it connected Huber’s distillery with Formwood Industries, a Jeffersonville plywood supplier in need of the product at its manufacturing facility.

“Nobody knew exactly what to do, but everybody who had something wanted to do something,” she said.

A second prong was called 1si Calls, which included daily Facebook Live events beginning in mid-March offering education on how businesses could adapt to changing circumstances. The group led interviews with experts on a variety of topics: how to market a business without being face-to-face with consumers; best practices for payroll and human resources; and how to keep an office safe while employees work from home.

One of Dant Chesser’s favorite sessions was with a Floyds Knobs port-a-potty engineer who talked about how to sanitize a business space. “Because you really expect the port-a-potty guy to know about sanitation, and he did. It was one of our better events,” she said.

The third part of the relief effort included a loan program that provided assistance to more than 120 small businesses. The funding came from community partners, including the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County and the Community Foundation of Southern Indiana.

By late June, the effort raised nearly $1.2 million, which was distributed in forgivable or zero-interest loans to small businesses to keep their doors open.

Ellis Taylor, owner of Taylor’s Cajun Meat Co. in New Albany said he got a loan through the program. It prevented him from having to cut hours for his five employees because of meat-plant shutdowns.

“It’s helped out tremendously,” Taylor said. “Being in the chamber, we have connections to other businesses, and we can all help each other out. It’s such a blessing to be in the chamber and be a part of it all.”

But One Southern Indiana hasn’t always been in such high standing with the community, said Matt Hall, executive vice president.

“When Wendy first came here, the organization frankly was not in the best of shape,” Hall said. “We had some financial challenges; we had challenges with membership and investment.”

Hall, who knew Dant Chesser from her work in the Indiana Department of Commerce, said he was excited when he heard she was interviewing for the president’s position. Eight years later, he says she’s turned the organization around.

“I think Wendy saw the potential for this organization,” Hall said. “I think she saw the impact that this organization could have on this community.”

One Southern Indiana’s response to the pandemic, which came out of a brainstorming session the second week of March, earned the organization statewide recognition in July as the 2020 Indiana Chamber of the Year.

Dant Chesser said she was moved when she heard the award announced on a Zoom call.

“Our team has never deserved it more,” she said, adding they “made a big deal about it for a minute or so” but soon got back to work.

The organization’s response to the community’s needs was immediate, but it wasn’t a total breeze. Dant Chesser said her low point hit the first week of April.

“Even though we had a lot of stuff going on, I just had no confidence that any of it was going to work,” she said. “I’m working from my dining room table, so I didn’t have facial or nonverbal feedback to tell me whether or not this was any good.”

About that time, she tuned into a webinar hosted by the International Economic Development Council: “A Ten-Point Action Plan for Economic Developers.”

Richard Florida, founder of advisory firm Creative Class Group, and Steven Pedigo, director of research for the firm, shared their plan, telling the developers to think about what their role would be after the pandemic, and Dant Chesser had her moment of clarity.

“I had to think and look beyond the pandemic,” she said. “Because it had never occurred to me that life was going to resume beyond this pandemic — you know, I was just in my low point — and it changed my whole perspective.”

As Dant Chesser puts it, “economic development doesn’t happen unless you’ve got a good product to sell,” and the pandemic hasn’t changed the fact that One Southern Indiana still has a good product. Some of the selling points: available land, a good tax climate and being part of the Louisville metro area, she said.

As One Southern Indiana moves into 2021, the CEO said she sees the organization providing more direction for local businesses through training and education opportunities.

Additionally, Dant Chesser said she’d like to build on the the chamber’s experience in managing small business lending.

“I do have some growth plans for our organization; whether we can get them all accomplished in 2021 sort of depends on how the first six months go, but I do think there’s some opportunity for us on the back end,” she said.

Reach Emma Austin at eaustin@gannett.com or on Twitter at @emmacaustin.

Bio Box

• Name: Wendy Dant Chesser
• Position: President and CEO of One Southern Indiana
• Age: 51
• Hometown: Jeffersonville, Indiana

What she says about 2021: “I feel good that we’re going to adjust just fine to those unknowns on how cyclical reactions are going to affect our local economy. We’re going to have to stay on our toes and make sure that we continue to adjust in the most positive way for those companies who are going to struggle over the next couple years.”

Why we’ll be watching Wendy Dant Chesser in 2021:

• Dant Chesser, president and CEO of One Southern Indiana for eight years, led the the 2020 Indiana Chamber of the Year.
• She and her team will work to address lingering effects the pandemic has had on the local economy in 2021.
• Dant Chesser plans to draw on One Southern Indiana’s experience managing small business lending during the pandemic to provide more assistance to businesses going forward.

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