News
Gonzalez and Kiernan headline Lakeshore Chamber awards
February 13, 2015
by Dave Ryan
Louie Gonzalez, president of Ivy Tech Community College East Chicago, and John Kiernan, president of Calumet Breweries, will be honored as the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce's Business Persons of the Year at the chamber's annual awards celebration Feb. 21 at Horseshoe Casino.
Additionally, the chamber will honor local businesses for their longevity and economic development, and also honor teachers, firemen, EMT's, and police officers from Hammond and East Chicago.
Gonzalez has a lifetime of service in Northwest Indiana, having graduated with a bachelor's degree from Calumet College of St. Joseph, and earned his master's in public administration from Indiana University Northwest.
In 1993, he was awarded the state's Sagamore of the Wabash award for distinguished service, and as the president of the Ivy Tech De La Garza Campus, he has more than doubled the enrollment to 2,200.
Kiernan' company is an 82-year-old family-owned business incorporated in 1933 in East Chicago by Michael J. Kiernan, a proud Irish immigrant. In 1963, the business moved to its current location in Hammond, and is owned and operated by John and his cousin, Mark Kiernan, the third generation to run the business.
Kiernan was born in East Chicago, raised in Hammond and graduated from Indiana University. A veteran of the National Guard, he has served as a board member and president of the Schererville Chamber of Commerce.
Civil service winners to be honored are:
East Chicago: Inspector Captain Steve Wielgos, Sgt. Jorge D. Almedina, and teacher Veronica Garcia.
Hammond: EMT-1P Brandon Ashana, Capt. Richard Gonzalez, Capt. Ezequiel Hinojosa, and teachers Kelli Lucito and Rina Horgan.
It promises to be a special evening at the Horseshoe Casino’s Venue as more than 500 Lakeshore chamber members and guests gather to honor our best and brightest. We hope to see you at The Venue.
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