EVANSVILLE, Ind., March 15, 2019 — At last night’s Celebration of Leadership (COL) Awards, Leadership Everyone’s (formerly Leadership Evansville) CEO Lynn Miller Pease gathered all past and present board members on the stage to announce a name change to “Leadership Everyone,” showcasing a a beautiful video that highlighted the diversity and inclusion over LE’s 41 years. Miller Pease stated, “The name describes what happened at Celebration of Leadership this year—everyone was represented. But it also describes the amazing inclusive work we have been doing with everyone, every year, every time! ‘Leadership Everyone’ describes servant leadership at its best and it sets our region apart as one of the most collaborative and visionary communities, based on Leadership Everyone’s mission: ‘Diverse servant leaders transforming community.’ One short video says it all.”
Leadership Everyone’s – title sponsored by Fifth Third Bank – brought together over 1,600 community members last night to celebrate the inspiring examples of servant leadership by individuals, projects or organizations. The diverse audience gathered at the Old National Events Plaza in downtown Evansville to cheer on 175 nominees. Leadership Everyone Chief Executive Officer, Lynn Miller Pease, was inspired by the numerous acts of servant leadership before, during and after the event: “LE is so pleased that we have the highest number of people attending COL. Thanks to our amazing sponsor, Fifth Third, we were able to pull off the largest crowd we’ve ever had to celebrate servant leaders in our community.”
At the 24th Annual Celebration of Leadership Awards ceremony, 40 awards were presented to hundreds of recipients who demonstrate outstanding selfless community service in the following categories: Arts; Community & Neighborhood; Education; Government, Public Service, & Environment; and Health & Social Services. “We are thrilled to announce 2019’s class of amazing recipients.”
24th Annual Celebration of Leadership Recipients
Division Recipients
- Individual – Winternheimer/LaMar Public Service Award – Dave Wedding
- Project / Program- Community Collaboration Award – Honor Flight of Southern Indiana, Inc.
- Business/Organization – Integrity Award – Family Matters of Posey County
Special Awards
- The Spirit Award – EPD Mounted Patrol
- Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Project or Program – Dare to Dream
- Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Project or Program – UE’s Mad Hot Ballroom
- Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Business or Organization – Southside Stars Youth Zone
- Sam Featherstone Youth Award – Overall – Lorelei Taylor
- Bryce Jordan Servant Leader Award – Lincoln Food Pantry
- Susan Kelley Jordan Courage Award – 414 Collective
- Leader in Technology Award – Debbie Calhoun
- Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Gibson Award – Carisa Campbell
- Willie Effie Thomas Diversity Award – Lori Sutton
- Shirley James “Greening the Community” Award – EVSC Solar Field Project
- Nancy Sieben Koehler Sustainability Award – 100 Guys Who Care/100+ Women Who Care
- Darrell Ragland Award – Arlinda Payne
- Sara B. Davies Award – Jack Miller
- Outstanding Innovation Award – Harwood Career Preparatory High School
- Transformational Inclusion Award – MASIHA Specialty Clinic
- Regional Impact Award – Individual – Jeff Whiteside
- Regional Impact Award – Project or Program – A Year of Hip Hop
- Regional Impact Award – Business or Organization – Linda E. White Hospice House
- Civic Engagement Award – Individual – Hannah Jaramillo
- Civic Engagement Award – Mickey’s Kingdom Playground
- Lifetime Award – Alfred Savia
Recognition for Individual Leadership
- Arts – Todd Huber
- Community & Neighborhood – Marci Hall
- Education – Marvin Smith
- Government, Public Service, & Environment – Kris Holzmeyer
- Health & Social Services – Kelly Salee
Recognition for Project or Program Leadership
- Arts – ARTS-N-THE PARK
- Community & Neighborhood – Castle High School Riley Dance Marathon Board
- Education – Carver Community Organization AARP Foundation Experience Corps
- Government, Public Service, & Environment – American Red Cross Services to Armed Forces Totes of Hope
- Health & Social Services – Program – Community Job Link through The Arc of Evansville
- Health & Social Services – Project – Neighborhood Baby Shower
Recognition for Business/Organization Leadership
- Arts – Evansville Civic Theatre, Inc.
- Community & Neighborhood – Diamond Galleria
- Education – Optimal Rhythms/ACCESS Academy
- Government, Public Service, & Environment – Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District
- Health & Social Services – Just Stylin Salon
24 Years of Celebration
Begun in 1994 by Leadership Everyone, the annual Celebration of Leadership Awards has received more than 2,500 nominations and celebrated thousands of nominees for their contributions to our community. More than 12,000 people have attended COL since its inception, and over 1600 attended this year’s event.
About Leadership Everyone
Leadership Everyone was founded in 1976 by a group of future-thinking local leaders, whose original commitment to community-wide betterment remains unique and strong. Leadership Everyone brings together people with different talents, gifts and perspectives and transforms these individuals into leaders who embrace the concept of community trusteeship and the collaborative process. They help develop in them an understanding of how today’s leaders function and teaches them the skills to apply this knowledge in provided real life opportunities through practice and performance. These attitudes, skills and processes are taught to adults, youth, organizations, not-for-profits, businesses, educational institutions, neighborhood associations, churches and other leadership programs.