Jill Ritchie of Indiana Beverage in Valparaiso Named Indiana Chamber Volunteer of the Year Honor

IndianaChamberLogo-3CThree individuals with a passion for enhancing Indiana’s business climate and giving back of their time were honored today as Indiana Chamber of Commerce 2014 Volunteers of the Year. The awards were presented during a luncheon ceremony at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis.

The honorees of the Samuel C. Schlosser Volunteer of the Year Award are:

Phil Bounsall, president, Walker (Indianapolis)
A financial background allows Bounsall to not only guide a strong organization like Walker but also serve the Indiana Chamber as treasurer and leader of the finance and audit committee. He brings leadership and clear communication to the table no matter the issue.

“The more successful the businesses are in the community, the more vibrant the community will be. The more opportunities we have to improve education. The more opportunities we have to provide better health care for people. Everything works better in a community when the business community is vibrant,” Bounsall says.

Jill Ritchie, vice president and general counsel, Indiana Beverage (Valparaiso)
Jill Ritchie has called Northwest Indiana home since 2008. Through her work on the Indiana Chamber board and several policy committees, as well as being an Indiana Vision 2025 regional partner, she strives to connect that part of the state with broader goals and initiatives.

The alignment with the Indiana Chamber allows her to be an advocate – just as she is each day in her legal and government affairs work. “Organizations like the Indiana Chamber are really important. The key to businesses’ success is providing family-sustaining jobs and the Chamber creates an environment in which that can occur,” Ritchie states.

Heather L. Wilson, member, Frost Brown Todd LLC (Indianapolis)
From chairing the Indiana Chamber’s Civil Justice Committee to helping expand the organization’s annual Human Resources Conference, attorney Heather Wilson has worked to assist Indiana Chamber members over the past eight years.

She brings the same energy she carries in serving her clients to these volunteer efforts.

“I have a passion for helping employers and businesses – that’s what I love to do. I want businesses to understand what their obligations are from a legal standpoint. And then, if there’s something in statute for example that is not fair or is being interpreted in kind of an unfair way, then having the opportunity to make change (is critical),” Wilson notes.

Praises Indiana Chamber President and CEO Kevin Brinegar: “Phil, Jill and Heather epitomize leadership, offering their time to volunteer efforts that are making an impact on Indiana’s business community. We truly appreciate their passion and expertise.”