This year’s televised Celebration of Leadership Award Ceremony shone a spotlight on 122 nominees for their examples of servant leadership and contributions to their community. 

Leadership Everyone presented 52 awards that recognized diverse people, projects, and organizations leading and serving our region. 

For the third year in a row, Leadership Everyone celebrated its Annual Celebration of Leadership Awards (COL) on WNIN. Presented by title sponsor Fifth Third Bank, the 27th annual COL recognized and celebrated the innovative, collaborative, and courageous accomplishments of 122 nominees. 

For 27 years, Celebration of Leadership has highlighted servant leaders of every age, race, ethnicity, religion, and background from within our region and this year was no exception. 

“We are so excited to have partnered with WNIN again this year to share this amazing event with the region on television and online,” said Lynn Miller Pease, Leadership Everyone’s Chief Executive Officer. “All of the nominees deserve recognition for the way they are collaborating to make our region better and better. And of course, we are so thankful to Fifth Third Bank and our other sponsors for making it possible for us to honor them in this special way!” 

122 examples of outstanding servant leadership were acknowledged this year for their transformational contributions to our community. Of these nominees, Leadership Everyone presented 52 awards to recipients across the region. Nominations were given in the following categories: Arts, Community & Neighborhood, Education, Government, Public Service & Environment, and Health & Social Service. 

The Celebration of the Leadership awards ceremony will air again on WNIN on Sunday, April 3, 2021, at 5:00 pm, and it can be streamed from Leadership Everyone’s website or social media platforms. 

COL 2022 RECIPIENT LIST 

Division Awards: Individual - Sheila Hauck; Project/Program - The Homeless Experience Project: 48 Hours in the Life; Business/Organization - Lyles Station Historic Schoolhouse & Museum 

Special Awards: Spirit Award - Area Pet Rescue after 2021 Tornado; Epic Award - Jeff Purdue; Leader In Technology Award - #TechMe; Inspiration Award - Bushra Saqib; Latinx Leadership Award (Individual) - Guillermo Guevara; Latinx Leadership Award (Project Or Program) - LatinX Community Health ChangeLab; Civic Engagement Award - Trucks With Room to Spare Inc; Philanthropy Award - Bert Wheat, Tyna Wheat, & Monica Owens; Outstanding Innovation Award - UE / Harper Air Filter Changemaker Project; Transformational Inclusion Award - Jody Robinson; Raising The Bar Award - Deaconess Clinic Memorial; Regional Collaboration Award - Book N' Cook; Regional Impact Award - READI Grant; Sportsmanship Award - Edward Nottle; Visionary Award - Timothy Weir; Darrell Ragland Award - Black Lives Matter Peaceful Protests - Emani Marks and Keshawn Young; Sam Featherstone Youth Award - Kylie Bedel, Lexi Smith, and TRACES; Lieutenant Colonel Reginald Gibson Award - Reconnecting Families by Military with PTSD Inc; Winternheimer/Lamar Public Service Award - Matt Karges; Sara B. Davies Award - Dr. Gina Huhnke; Willie Effie Thomas Diversity Award - Pastor Craig Duke; Shirley James "Greening The Community" Award - Toyota Trinity Stormwater Park ChangeLab; Susan Kelley Jordan Courage Award - Deaconess Intensive Care Units Staff; Bryce Jordan Servant Leader Award - Fr. Jay Davidson, Fr. Christopher Droste, and Fr. Gary Kaiser; Lifetime Achievement Award - Janie Chappell, Sondra Matthews, and Ken Wempe 

Recognition for Individual Achievement: Arts - Nathan Jochum; Community & Neighborhood - Marietta Rodriguez; Education - Mendy Poole; Government, Public Service, & Environment - Laura Nordine; Health & Social Services - Kelly Paul 

Recognition for Project or Program Achievement: Arts - Tepe Park Neighborhood - Basketball Court Mural; Community & Neighborhood - Coalition of Inner-City Neighborhoods (Fred Cook); Education - EVSC/EVPL Free Tutoring Program; Government, Public Service, & Environment - Deaconess Aquatic Center; Health & Social Services - Deaconess Monoclonal Antibody Program 

Recognition for Business or Organization Achievement: Arts - NoCo Park and Twymon Art Gallery; Community & Neighborhood - River City Pride; Education - AstraZeneca Inspire Program; Government, Public Service, & Environment - International Refugee Relief Center; Health & Social Services - Little Lambs of Evansville