JA BEL Awards

Junior Achievement Business & Educator Leadership Awards - BEL Awards

When: Tuesday, September 09, 2025

Where: Grand Wayne Center

Time: 5:45 PM ET

 

To recognize leadership and dedication to entrepreneurship, each year Junior Achievement's BEL (Business, Education, and Leadership) Awards event honors business leaders. These men and women are creating jobs, encouraging employee growth and shaping the successful companies that are essential to a community's economy. While fulfilling the personal and professional commitments which ensure family, business and community success, they are also sharing their experience with the next generation, and they are giving time and financial resources to their communities.

2024 Greater Fort Wayne Business Hall of Fame Awardees:

Daryle & Brenda Doden, Ambassador Enterprises
Chuck Surack, Surack Enterprises


2024 Ove Jorgensen Spirit of Leadership Recipients:

Tom & Cindy Henry (posthumously)

Past Hall Of Fame Inductees

• 2015 - Ardelle Glaze, Fort Wayne Metals (posthumously)
• 2015 - M. James Johnston, Corporate & Endowment Strategy, LLC
• 2015 - William Milt Cole, The Cole Family Enterprise
• 2016 - Chris Murphy, 1st Source Bank
• 2016 - Leon Habegger, LH Industries
• 2017 - Tom Kinder, Michael Kinder & Sons, Inc.
• 2018 - Bob Lauter, Master Spas
• 2018 - James Scheil, Summit Mechanical
• 2019 - Andy & John Brooks, Brooks Construction Company, Inc.
• 2019 - Dan Votaw, Votaw Electric
• 2021 - Don Steininger, Steininger Development
• 2021 - Jerry Henry, Midwest Pipe & Steel
• 2023 - Dr. Earl Brooks, Trine University
• 2023 - Mike Packnett, Parkview Health
• 2024 - Chuck Surack, Surack Enterprises
• 2024 - Daryle & Brenda Doden, Ambassador Enterprises

Sponsors

Title Sponsor

VIP Cocktail Sponsor

Gold Sponsor

Silver Sponsor

Student Ambassador Sponsor

Bronze Sponsor

Hall of Fame Sponsor

Event Sponsor

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Sponsorships for these events are critical for Junior Achievement to continue providing life-changing programs to students in our community. These programs are delivered at no cost to students. You can make a difference in the lives of these students by participating in this world-class event! Contact us to get more information on how to sponsor a JA Event!

Need More Information? Fill out the form to contact Abbey Shimel - Senior Director of Marketing

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