Article published Feb 12, 2010 Chamber salutes St. Joseph County business Four receive top awards at annual lunch By HEIDI PRESCOTT Tribune Staff Writer CORRECTION: Christine Pochert Ringle, recipient of the Athena award by the Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County, did not graduate from Plymouth High School, as stated in this story. Pochert Ringle’s husband, Jerry, graduated from Plymouth High School, which prompted the couple to create a scholarship for first generation Indiana University South Bend college students who graduate from Plymouth High School. The Tribune regrets the error. SOUTH BEND — More than 500 business leaders either grinned or laughed aloud at the frightened look on the face of the man in the front seat of a roller coaster. This man, obviously a business type in his suit and tie, looked scared half to death as the coaster wildly twisted and turned. "Tell me, is that a typical day at the office?" asked Don Allison, the featured speaker Thursday at the Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph County's annual Salute to Business luncheon at the Century Center in South Bend. Allison obviously began by acknowledging the fear and uncertainty businesses have felt during these tough times. Instead, business leaders should enjoy the ride, Allison said. This can be achieved when you surround yourself with good people, and help those people do things they didn't know they could do until they did them. In other words, by living the definition of leadership. On Thursday, the Chamber recognized two individuals and two local businesses for their community leadership, service and achievements. The individuals chosen have displayed personal commitments to the community, to individuals and organizations within the community, while the companies selected have shown capital investment and economic growth. Here is a look at each winner. Christopher J. Murphy III, W. Scott Miller Distinguished Business Leader Murphy delivered the line of the lunch. That one line few had heard before and that will likely be remembered and repeated by many. "The meaning of life," said Murphy "is on the bottom of the old Coke bottle. These four words are true in your life, your family, your business, your community, in everything you do. "No deposit, no return." While Murphy attributed the line to a friend who used it in his presentations, there's no doubt the bank leader 100 percent buys into the line that drew laughs from the audience. "I think you have to make deposits to receive returns," he said. "The more deposits, the more returns. If you're passive and get returns, that's serendipitous; that's luck. That's not fulfillment and happiness from giving, doing and being." Murphy is best known locally as chairman, president and chief executive of 1st Source Corp. and chairman and chief executive of 1st Source Bank. But his volunteer and leadership activities focus on education, economic development and health care, and his memberships, honors and awards are many. He is a member and past chairman of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, serves on the Dean's Advisory Council of the Indiana University School of Medicine, and serves on the board of the Gigot Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Notre Dame. Murphy has also chaired fundraisers for organizations ranging from WNIT to hospice to the Northern Indiana Center for History. "I think it's a very high honor to be recognized in your community, by the people who know your faults," he said. "Thank you for overlooking those faults." In a separate interview with The Tribune, Murphy explained how critical it is for local business leaders to always keep the community in mind, and to constantly be improving their community. "I have always focused on the importance of thinking and acting regionally," he said. "And I believe strongly that knowledge is power and with power comes freedom. And you can gain knowledge by being educated and pursuing lifelong learning." Christine Pochert Ringle, Athena Award The recipient of the award that recognizes a person who has devoted time and energy to improve the quality of life for others, had two pieces of advice for the audience. "Get a mentor to guide you," said Pochert Ringle, "and be a mentor; guide someone else." With that, she said, comes a guarantee. "I guarantee your life will be greatly enhanced by both experiences." After all, hers has. Pochert Ringle puts her energy into serving as a mentor in professional development and personal growth, and she has been a trailblazer for various initiatives. She has served as an associate faculty member at Indiana University South Bend, and serve as a grant writer and formerly oversaw the Mentor Dream Team for the South Bend Community School Corp. Pochert Ringle, who has previously held health care and social work positions, also served on the board of the Healthy Communities Initiative, and formed a scholarship to fund first-generation IUSB college students who graduate from Plymouth High School — where her husband, Jerry, graduated. Yet, when speaking outside the awards luncheon, Pochert Ringle is humble. "I don't know why I received this. It's an incredible honor, but you know none of us do what we do for awards. We do what we do because we want to pass on something to the next generation," she said. "I don't make a lot of promises, but when I say I'm going to do something I just do it. I see the women ahead of me on this award list as the trailblazers. I see myself as a really good workhorse," she added with a laugh. Guiding young women and students has always been important to Pochert Ringle, who was also a first-generation college student. "Mentors always pushed me forward, so when it was my turn I wanted to pay back for this wonderful enchanted life. It's my turn to pay it back and pay it forward." Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Economic Impact Award On time and on budget. These are accomplishments that Tom Reidinger, interim president and chief executive of Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, emphasized about the December new hospital opening. And these achievements must be credited to former hospital chief Nancy Hellyer. It was the $355 million investment in the hospital, and the $163 million of that total that comprised work awarded to regional businesses. Another $7 million of the total project cost was awarded to minority business and women business enterprises. "This never entered my mind," Reidinger said in a separate interview after the luncheon about the hospital's achievement earning them the Chamber award. "But we promise and vow that we will serve the community into the future, and carry our vision in the community." New Carbon Co., Small Business of the Year Award "We're not going to participate in the recession." When New Carbon Co. President and Chief Executive Rick McKeel recited the company motto, many at the luncheon chuckled. But the motto has been no laughing matter when you consider the growth this South Bend company has seen in the tough economy. It reported annual revenue of $10 million in 1999. Last year, the company reported $30 million in revenue, and that represented a 7 percent increase from the year before. With headquarters on William Richardson Drive, the company also was selected as one of Indiana's Top 50 companies to watch. Still, McKeel couldn't help but joke about how many business people present probably had no idea what New Carbon makes. "We sell waffles. That's what we do," he stated. Actually, the company makes Carbon's Golden Malted Pancake and Waffle Flour, a recipe patented back in 1937. Hotels, restaurants, universities and theme parks — more than 13,000 customers worldwide use it. "With all the doom and gloom on the news and in the papers every day, it's easy to see how people can get down," McKeel said during a separate interview. "We try to foster an environment that is upbeat, positive, fun, challenging and full of vitality." And about that motto? "People tell us we're crazy," he said light- heartedly. "But with a positive attitude, you can achieve success in every aspect of life." ---------------------------------------------------------- Staff writer Heidi Prescott: hprescott@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6070