Elkhart County’s Business Legacy Hall of Fame & Gala

Since its inception, Elkhart County has been known for its entrepreneurs, innovation and business leadership. Building on this, Junior Achievement & Lemonade Day serving Elkhart County is excited to announce our annual Business Legacy (Hall of Fame) Gala.

Your Invitation

This is a black tie event and will have a featured speaker as well as a formal awards / recognition banquet. We wish to invite you and to engage your presence and participation by sponsoring a table for our event. There are many ways to help this community prosper, and this is a great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our youth, all the while making difference in our home towns.

Thank you for your time, attention, and for your appearance. It would be a great honor to have you a part of this extraordinary evening.

2020 Elkhart County Business Legacy Gala

Join us in celebrating Elkhart County’s 5th annual Business Hall Of Fame induction

JOIN US

8th Annual Business Legacy Hall of Fame Induction Gala

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11TH 6PM-9PM
CRYSTAL BALLROOM AT THE LERNER THEATRE

BUY TICKET NOW

2023 Award Recipients

The Havilah Beardsley Recognition

Young Entrepreneur (under 35)
Kate Steury, Shirley’s Popcorn

The Guy David Gundlach Recognition

COMMUNITY IMPACT
Jackie Walorski Swihart *, Congresswoman

THE THOMAS I. ATKINS RECOGNITION

MINORITY IN/OWNED BUSINESS
Cien Asoera, Edward Jones

THE HELEN MURRAY FREE RECOGNITION

WOMEN IN/OWNED BUSINESS
Becky Bontreger, Middlebury Produce

THE DR. FRANKLIN MILES RECOGNITION

HEALTHCARE
Sandy Weatherwax, LoveWay, Inc.

THE C.G. CONN RECOGNITION

MANUFACTURING Excellence
Dick Strefling

THE HERMAN F. BORNEMAN SR. RECOGNITION

DISTRIBUTION, RETAIL OR LOGISTICS
Dick Lavanture, LaVanture Products

THE CLARENCE C. MOORE RECOGNITION

TECHNOLOGY
Steven K. Haines, American Technology Components, Inc.

J. LAWRENCE BURKHOLDER RECOGNITION

Leadership in Education
Herbert and Ruth Tolson *, Tolson Center for Community Excellence

Business as a Force of Good

Everence Financial

THE PATRICIA G. AND ARTHUR J. DECIO LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Tom Warrick

*HONOREE BEING RECOGNIZED POSTHUMOUSLY

We hope you can join us at the 8th Annual Business Legacy Hall of Fame Gala.

Sponsorships

Presenting Event Sponsor

Option of serving as honorary chairman(s) of the event
Welcomes attendees through a speaking role at the event
Recognized as presenting sponsor on programs and website
Recognized during program on the video projection screens
Receive 8 tickets to the event with preferred seating
Invited to participate in any media events
A representative and guest welcomed at the VIP reception

Traveling Hall Of Fame Sponsor (1)

Recognized on all 11 banners traveling Elkhart County in 2018
Recognized on all videos on projector throughout program
Receive 8 tickets to the event
Recognized on our website as traveling Hall Of Fame sponsor
A representative and guest welcomed at the VIP reception

Award Nomination Sponsor (10)

$5,000

Recognized as the award nomination sponsor on programs
Recognized during program on the video projection screens
Present chosen award to recipient
Receive 8 tickets to the event
Invited to participate in any media events
Welcomed at our VIP reception

VIP Cocktail Hospitality Lounge Sponsor (1 - OPEN)

$3,000

Recognized as the official VIP reception sponsor during both the reception and the gala event
Recognized on programs and website
Recognized during program on the video projection screens
Receive 8 tickets to the event
A representative and guest welcomed at the VIP reception

Table Sponsor

$2,000

Receive 8 tickets to the event

Individual Ticket

$250

Sponsor RSVP »

Purchase a Sponsorship »

Purchase Tickets Now »

All sponsors $5,000 & above are invited to a special VIP hour with our guests at 5pm before the event from 5 pm to 6 pm

Award Name & Categories

The recognition of these individuals are meant to preserve the history of Elkhart while celebrating our current business leaders for their leadership in our community. The recipients will be inducted into our “Business Hall of Fame” which will be a plaque with their story that will be displayed in a public setting.

The Havilah Beardsley Recognition

This award is presented to a “young entrepreneur” that has shown innovation and leadership in regards to creating a new business. The criterion for this award is for any young professional that has started a business and is the age of 35 years old or under. At the age of 35 Havilah Beardsley created the first mill in Elkhart and later purchased the land, which is now downtown Elkhart. He is the father of Elkhart and has proven that young entrepreneurs can make a significant impact and legacy.

The Guy David Gundlach Recognition

This award celebrates a business that has shown significant contribution to the community and betterment of Elkhart County. David Gundlach was an entrepreneur, a business leader and a film maker that amassed wealth through his business, Hastings Direct. At his passing, David left his estate totaling over 150 million dollars to the Elkhart Community Foundation.

The Thomas I. Atkins Recognition

This award celebrates a minority business leader that has shown leadership and perseverance in the community while also supporting other minority owned businesses through mentorship and support. Thomas Atkins was the first African American student body president at Elkhart High School then while attending Indiana University he was the first African American Student Government Association president and first African American student body president at a Big 10 Conference school. Atkins went to Harvard Law School and later served on the NAACP national board of directors.

The Helen Murray Free Recognition

This award celebrates a woman owned business leader that has shown innovation and leadership in her various field. Helen Free is retired chemist and educator. While a t Miles Lab, she invented many of the self-testing systems for diabetes. By 1975, Free had earned seven patents for her improvements in medical and clinical urinalysis testing. In 1993 Helen was the President of the American Chemical Society; in 2000 she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and is 2010 she was awarded the National Medal of Innovation by Barack Obama.

The C.G Conn Recognition

This award celebrates a business or individual that has made a significant contribution to manufacturing. Charles Gerard Conn was as an Army Captain and POW during the Civil War. He later the inventor of the rubber-rimmed mouthpiece in 1875 and then founded CG Conn band instrument company which helped put Elkhart on the map as the band instrument capital of the world.

The Herman F. Borneman Sr. Recognition

This award celebrates a business or individual that has made a significant contribution in the areas of Distribution, retail or logistics. Herman F. Borneman Sr. founded Borneman & Sons (Industrial Supply) in 1902 which started out as a hardware store downtown Elkhart and became a major supplier to the RV, manufactured housing and musical instrument industries.

The Clarence C . Moore Recognition

This award celebrates a business or individual that has made a significant contribution to Technology. Clarence C. Moore was an engineer and minister at Radio Station HCJB with primary transmitters in Quito, Ecuador. He went on to found International Radio and Electronics Corporation (IREC) in Elkhart, Indiana which was renamed Crown International in the 1960’s. Crown International manufactures electronic devices including power amplifiers. The audio division was acquired by Harman International in March of 2000.

The J. Lawrence Burkholder Recognition

This award celebrates individuals that have made a significant impact as an educator or in the field of education. J. Lawrence Burkholder was a graduate of Goshen College in 1939 and later became its 11th president from 1971 - 1984. He played many significant roles throughout the 20th century as a pastor, professor, pilot, philosopher, civil rights activist, war-time relief worker and college president. His experience spans from degrees from Princeton a professor at Harvard, various civil rights leadership and being present for many of the 20th century's major global moments. He and his family lived around the corner from Albert Einstein while studying at Princeton. He gave the opening eulogy and prayer at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral ceremony at Harvard University. He was in Moscow's Red Square during the failed coup against Boris Yeltsin. He was in East Germany when the Berlin Wall fell. He was in China, again, shortly after the democracy movement was crushed in Tiananmen Square. The college opened its doors to the surrounding community in unprecedented ways during Burkholder's presidency. This included starting the Afternoon Sabbatical Program and a continuing education program. The Umble Center was built on campus during his tenure to offer a venue for theater performances.

Business Legacy Hall Of Fame Award Winners

2016 Award Winners

2017 Award Winners

2018 Award Winners

2019 Award Winners

2020 Award Winners

2021 Award Winners

2022 Award Winners

2023 Award Winners

Traveling Hall of Fame Exhibit

Each year, the 10 inductees to the Business Legacy Hall of Fame and their stories are displayed on a traveling exhibit that is made possible through the generosity of the Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau. It travels to free public venues across the county throughout the year to highlight each Honoree's story.

Special thanks to Elkhart County Convention and Visitors Bureau