LDWC 2024-2025 graduates receive certificate, IUK micro-credential

Wabash County, IN (MAY 19, 2025) – Grow Wabash County is proud to welcome 24 new graduates to its network of Leadership Development Wabash County (LDWC) alumni.

These emerging leaders were recognized for their completion of the LDWC program at a ceremony on Thursday, May 15th, in the Parkview Ballroom at the Eagles Theatre.  

Patrick Sullivan, chair of the LDWC committee, offered welcome remarks to kick off the graduation ceremony and thanked the many sponsors and employers who helped this year’s cohort succeed.

Tenille Zartman, president and CEO of Grow Wabash County and LDWC program facilitator, shared an overview of some of the great opportunities and experiences presented to this year’s cohort of graduates to not only learn about the Wabash County community, but to come together to give back to that community.

The graduates had the chance to share the many ways they gave back to Wabash County through their group service projects. As a requirement for graduation, each participant had to complete at least 25 hours of community service.

Following the presentations, Mark Canada, Chancellor for IU Kokomo, informed the audience that in addition to completing the full LDWC program, many of the students in this year’s cohort also successfully earned a digital Indiana University Micro-Credential in "Essentials of Leadership.”  

This is the second year that LDWC graduates have had the opportunity to earn this university recognized micro-credential.

Zartman and Jana Thibos then took the time to recognize all the program’s graduates and handed out their certificates of completion and Grow Wabash County padfolios.

Graduates for the 2024-2025 LDWC cohort include: Keeley Abbott, Ford Meter Box; Kathryn Anders, Learn More Center; Lyndsey Carter, Crossroads Bank; Deena Clark, Ford Meter Box; Marlee Cockrell, Bionutrients Ag; Mackenzie Coulter-Kern, Wabash County Diversity Coalition; John Davis, Intertech Products; Jon Gaskill, Wabash Carnegie Public Library; Kelli Holley, HF Group; Chelsey Johanning, First Farmers Bank & Trust; Jessica Kirk,    Honeywell Arts & Entertainment; Ashley LaFranco, First Farmers Bank and Trust; Orion McCormack, Pathfinder Services; Riley McGuire, Ford Meter Box; Shannon Nelson, Intertech Products, Inc.; Shae Nutter, Clearwater Systems; Megan Price, Bowen Health; Kayla Robbins, Ford Meter Box; Kelly Scher, Carey Services, Inc.; Shari Smith, Josiah White's; Caitlin Troyer, Beacon Credit Union; Jacob Twigg, Beacon Credit Union; Cole Wyatt, Wabash County Government; Silas Zartman, City of Wabash

In addition to the graduation certificates, there were also several awards presented to members of the cohort who stood out for their various strengths.  

These awards included: Social Change Award - Mackenzie Coulter-Kern; Sunshine Award - Shari Smith; Entrepreneur Award - Silas Zartman; Best Communicator - Kathryn Anders; Servant Award - Orion McCormack

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Grow Wabash County hosted its annual LDWC alumni mixer which allowed for these new graduates to connect and network with the many years of graduates that came before them.

Grow Wabash County is thrilled to see a new cohort of leaders take what they have learned over the past several months and apply it to their respective jobs, committees, and boards in an effort to make Wabash County an even greater place to be.

Plans are already in the works for the 2025-2026 cohort of Leadership Development Wabash County and registration for this next program will begin in August 2025 with classes beginning in October 2025.  

Companies or individuals interested in being placed on the waitlist for this upcoming cohort can do so by emailing Jana Thibos at jana@growwabashcounty.com.

Grow Wabash County would like to thank all the supporters and sponsors that made the 2024-2025 LDWC program an incredible success.  

Core Sponsors include: Beacon Credit Union; City of Wabash; Wabash County Commissioners

Lunch Sponsors include: Duke Energy; Ford Meter Box Company; Heartland Career Center; Intertech Products, Inc.; Josiah White’s; NIPSCO; Ruoff Mortgage

Scholarship providers include: Grow Wabash County; Hoosier Jiffy Print; Transform Consulting Group