Chamber Announces Annual Awards
Each year the Decatur Chamber of Commerce gives three awards to recognize outstanding community citizenship and service to the Decatur community. The awards will be presented at the Chamber Annual Dinner held on Thursday, February 5th at the Knights of Columbus pavilion. The Chamber is pleased to announce the recipients of their 2014** awards:
The Stephen Decatur Award, named for the city’s namesake, naval hero Stephen Decatur is given annually for outstanding individual service. This year the award goes to Kelly A Ehinger.
Ms. Ehinger has been the Director of Adams Public Library since 1997 and has been very active in the Decatur Community.
Kelly is one of the founding members of the Decatur Sculpture Tour; she is a member and past president of Decatur Rotary Club. She is a member of the Decatur Park Board, Friends of the Library, and the Main Street Organization Committee
In addition to her local responsibilities Kelly currently serves as president of the Indiana Public Library Association, she is a board member and member of the legislative committee of the Indiana Library Federation, and a member of the American Library Association.
She is a past member of the board, campaign chair, and president of United Way of Adams County. She is a past member of St. Joseph Catholic School Board.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Earlham College and her master of library science from Indiana University. She holds a Librarian Certificate 1, the highest certification level in the state of Indiana.
She is married to Decatur native Charles Ehinger since 2000. Charles is a retired Marine and currently teaches physics and chemistry at Bishop Dwenger High School. They have two children: Arthur and Audrey who are in middle school at St. Joseph Catholic School.
The Large and Small business awards are given each year to businesses that have shown good corporate citizenship and have taken an active role in the community. The Large Business award goes to Master’s Heating and Air.
In 1980 Mark Bulmahn started a HVAC business, Mark’s Heating and Air Conditioning with one truck his dad gave him and space in his father’s barn. In 1983 he purchased the Ashbaucher Tin Shop, a well-known Decatur business and moved his business to its current downtown location.
In 1984 Mark purchased Fifer Home products and Gary Fifer became a business partner. In 1996 Mark’s purchased Lehman Plumbing and Heating of Berne, and in 2000 they purchased Vance Heating and Cooling of Portland.
The Small Business Award goes to Zwick and Jahn Funeral Home. Zwick and Jahn was founded on April 10, 1899 when William H Zwick bought an interest in the Auten & Gay Undertaking and Furniture. In April 1929 William h Zwick purchased the remaining interest in the firm. His son Robert J Zwick joined the firm and it was renamed H.H. Zwick and Son. In 1934 the funeral home was separated from the furniture store and relocated to the current location on north Second Street. In 1960 Robert’s son, William H Zwick, joined the firm after his graduation from Valparaiso University. In 1994 Johnathan R Zwick joined the firm becoming the 4th generation of the Zwick family to be in the business.
In 1979 Mark R Jahn joined the firm. Mark also came from a distinguished funeral home background. His father Ralph M Jahn operated the Jahn Funeral Home in Bluffton from 1922
Zwick and Jahn has been very involved in the community, including being part of the Honor Flights that honor World War Two veterans, since its inception.
The awards will be presented at the Chamber Annual Dinner to be held on Thursday, February 6th at the Knights of Columbus with social hour starting at 5:45 and dinner at 6:30 pm. The cost of dinner is $25 per person. Reservations are required and may be made by calling the Chamber at 724-2604.