The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce welcomed members, partners, and business leaders to The Lerner Theatre for the chamber’s annual meeting on March 6. This year’s meeting, presented by Lake City Bank, celebrated the century-long legacy of the chamber as a driving force of economic development in the region with conversations led by some of Elkhart’s foundational businesses.

“We have four focuses,” Elkhart Chamber President Levon Johnson said. “One is making sure we’re a leading resource for our business community, two is creating connections, three is about supporting different businesses with different needs, and lastly is the promotion of the Greater Elkhart area and our individual business members as well. Those four things make up the focus of what we do.”

The meeting began with remarks from Johnson, Lake City Bank President Kristen Pruitt, and several government leaders, including U.S. Senator Todd Young, U.S. Congressman Rudy Yakym, and Elkhart City Mayor Rod Roberson.

This year’s meeting also featured a panel discussion led by Warrick & Boyn LLP’s Gary Boyn, Conn-Selmar’s Mike Kamphius, and NIBCO, Inc.’s Ashley Martin. They shared what they had learned about maintaining a business in Elkhart and the importance of having a shared business community that looks out for each other. Each business rooted in Elkhart has a deep connection to the community.

“We are definitely committed to Elkhart; this is our home,” said Martin. “This is where we started over 120 years ago, so it’s very important that a lot of what we do stays here.”

The Elkhart Chamber is dedicated to supporting the Elkhart business community, providing opportunities for business owners to network, develop, and forge new relationships. During the meeting, the Chamber also recognized members who achieved exceptional success in 2025 with a series of awards:

  • Business of the Year – Welmpact Group
  • Nonprofit of the Year – Heart City Health
  • Century Plus Community Award – Century Chemical Corporation
  • Woman of the Year – Bethany Hartley, South Bend Elkhart Regional Partnership
  • Ambassador of the Year – John Snyder, Office 360

“We’re really honored to be presented with this award,” Century Chemical CEO Denyse Pontius said. “This community has supported us; this community has supported me. We care so much about Elkhart, and we’re proud to continue this legacy.”

The Elkhart Chamber represents almost 1,000 members of Elkhart’s business community. As the chamber looks towards 2026 and beyond, its members are excited about the potential for an even larger impact on Elkhart’s development.

“We’ve been doing a lot behind the scenes to be a more effective resource for our members, which is the heart of all of the work that we do. We’ve gotten seats at a lot of tables we previously haven’t had and continue to make connections to help businesses thrive in Elkhart,” Emma Jordan, Elkhart Chamber board chair, said. “The chamber is a representation of our community. We’re always striving for more members, not only to be a larger organization but to be an effective representation of the diverse business community that we have in Elkhart. If you’re not already a member, you should consider joining the Elkhart Chamber.” The Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce hosts a variety of resources and events for business owners and employees throughout Elkhart. Visit elkhart.org to view the event calendar or learn more about becoming involved in the chamber.