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A Message from our President
Hello and welcome to the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber's 2025 Business Recognition Breakfast and Annual Meeting! We are thankful to have you here and grateful to the generous sponsors who have made this morning's event possible. Thank you also to this year's nominees. Your collective achievements are truly part of what makes Southwest Michigan a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
Arthur Havlicek President & CEO
Doors Open | 7:00 a.m.
Welcome | 7:30 a.m.
Keynote | 7:40 a.m.
Intermission | 8:20 a.m.
Board Update | 8:30 a.m.
Chamber Update | 8:40 a.m.
Live Voting Closes | 9:00 a.m.
Awards Ceremony | 9:10 a.m.
Event Close | 10:00 a.m.
Keynote Speaker
DREW DUDLEY
Wall Street Journal Best Selling Author
Internationally Acclaimed Leadership Speaker
Renown for “The Lollipop Moment“ at TEDxToronto
Somewhere around the middle of his undergraduate education, Drew realized engaging with the world was a lot more fun than writing papers
Live Voting Returns
An exciting element of our Business Recognition and Awards Ceremony has always been that winners are kept a secret until they are announced on the stage. We have taken the suspense to the next level by introducing live voting! That's right, the awards portion of our event is more interactive than ever as audience members will get to help us choose a winner morning-of!
A ballot of deserving nominees is below. Scan the QR code below to be taken to our secure voting platform, enter the credentials found on your voter registration card, and select one winner per category.
Best New Business Award
Modern Roofing & Construction
The Garage on Ferry Street
The Lab. Martial Arts & Fitness
The Squeeze Bar & Grille
Small Business of the Year
M & W Auto Service & Tire
Pipestone Creek Golf Course
Schmidke Construction & Contracting
Villwocks Outdoor Living
Economic Impact Award
Corewell Health, Bridgman
Four Winds Casinos
Honor Credit Union
Monte Package Company
Non-Profit Excellence Award
Harbor Country Mission
New Heights CCDA
Present Pillars
United Way of Southwest Michigan
Community Placemaking Award
Berrien County Parks: Silver Beach
Playground
City Of Coloma: Norma Jean Somers
Splash Pad
Benton Harbor - St. Joseph: Unified
Civic Monuments Project
Rising Star Award
Chris Britton, New Heights CCDA
Johnathon Scott, The Lab.
Martial Arts & Fitness & Modern Roofing & Construction
Sarah Lancaster, South Shore Health & Racquet Club
Stephanie Ott-Williams, Base Bowls & Company
Pat Moody Award
Bernice Mason, Community Volunteer
Dave Schaffer, Kruggel Lawton
Joe Giannola, Giannola
Family, LLC
Michelle Heit, New Buffalo Township
Thank You Corewell Health
Best New Business Nominee
Best New Business Nominee
Thank you sponsor
Best New Business Nominee
Best New Business Nominee
The Squeeze Bar & Grille is a woman-owned restaurant in the heart of downtown Stevensville, serving up delicious American fare with a focus on quality and flavor. Established in 2023, we take pride in our handcrafted burgers, fresh salads, and signature specials that keep our guests coming back. With a full bar, daily drink specials, and a welcoming atmosphere, we’re all about good food, good drinks, and good times. Whether you’re grabbing a bite with family or unwinding with friends, The Squeeze is the perfect place to relax and enjoy!
Key Highlights:
New owners transformed the former Woodies into something bright and welcoming.
Chef John is no stranger to delicious burgers, but The Squeeze offers him the opportunity to showcase his other culinary talents.
With a seating capacity of 99 persons, including 12-16 person tables, several high-tops on the bar side, and a mix of tables on the dining room side, The Squeeze is larger inside than it first appears outside!
The Squeeze offers daily and weekend specials for diners to enjoy.
The Squeeze has recently added live music to their offerings.
Small Business of the Year Nominee
M&W Auto Service & Tire is a family-owned and operated business that prides itself on putting the customer first in all areas of business. In
Small Business of the Year Nominee
Pipestone Creek is family built and has been family owned and operated for over sixty years. The course is carefully designed to test your long game with
Small Business of the Year Nominee
Schmidke Construction and Contracting has been an area leader in custom home building and remodeling for 24 years. Its new headquarters, located in Sawyer, MI, will be completed in early 2025 and features a design library,
Small Business of the Year Nominee
Villwocks Outdoor Living is a multidimensional outdoor living provider, offering two beautiful retail garden centers as well as outdoor power equipment sales and service. In addition to landscape design and
Thank You Honor Credit Union
Economic Impact Nominee
Corewell Health Southwestern Medical Primary Care in Bridgman provides a full range of services for patients of all ages, including preventative services, chronic condition management and treatment for a variety of health
Economic Impact Nominee
On the shores of Lake Michigan, Four Winds Casinos deliver an unparalleled experience of indulgence, exhilaration, and endless winning possibilities. Four Winds New Buffalo boasts over 1,900 slots, 40 table
Economic Impact Nominee
Honor Credit Union is a non-profit, full-service, financial institution
Economic Impact Nominee
For 100 years, Monte Package Company has played a key role in helping farmers and produce packers all across the world stand out against their
Thank You Sponsors
Non-profit Excellence Nominee
Non-profit Excellence Nominee
New Heights CCDA is dedicated to equipping under-resourced individuals and families with the tools and resources needed to move from scarcity to stability and on to success. Through innovative programs like New Heights
Non-profit Excellence Nominee
Non-profit Excellence Nominee
United Way of Southwest Michigan works in Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren counties to create a united & resilient community where everyone contributes, belongs, and thrives. We do this by working with 49 local
Thank You Sponsors
Community Placemaking Nominee
Community Placemaking Nominee
Community Placemaking Nominee
Rising Star Nominee
JOHNATHON SCOTT
OWNER
MODERN ROOFING & CONSTRUCTION THE LAB. MARTIAL ARTS & FITNESS
Johnathon Scott is a 30-year-old entrepreneur, community leader, and devoted family man based in Southwest Michigan. As the owner of Modern Roofing and Construction, a veteran-owned company, he provides top-tier
Rising Star Nominee
CHRIS BRITTON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR NEW HEIGHTS CCDA
Chris Britton is the Executive Director of New Heights CCDA, a nonprofit organization in Berrien County, Michigan, dedicated to equipping under-
Rising Star Nominee
SARAH LANCASTER
GENERAL MANAGER
SOUTH SHORE HEALTH & RACQUET CLUB
Sarah Lancaster is the General Manager of South Shore Health & Racquet Club. She is a graduate of Lake Michigan Catholic High School, St. Joseph,
Rising Star Nominee
STEPHANIE OTT - WILLIAMS
OWNER
BASE BOWLS & COMPANY
Stephanie Ott Williams, owner of Base Bowls & Company, is a proud native of Southwest Michigan. She graduated from Berrien Springs High School and also attended Saint Joseph High School. Following high school, she
Pat Moody Award Nominee
BERNICE MASON
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER, FORMER CHAMBER AMBASSADOR
Bernice Mason has dedicated over 50 years to serving the Benton Harbor and St. Joseph communities, leaving a lasting legacy of compassion, leadership and impact Since the 1970s she has volunteered thousands of
Pat Moody Award Nominee
DAVID SCHAFFER
PARTNER
KRUGGEL LAWTON CPA
Dave Schaffer brings over 35 years of expertise in public accounting, specializing in tax preparation and planning at the partner level. His extensive experience spans audit, review, and compilation engagements,
Pat Moody Award Nominee
JOE GIANNOLA
OWNER GIANNOLA FAMILY, LLC
Joe Giannola, born on March 3, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan, moved to Berrien County during his high school years and graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1970. He began his career as a stock boy at Goldblatt’s
Pat Moody Award Nominee
MICHELLE HEIT
SUPERVISOR
NEW BUFFALO TOWNSHIP
Michelle Heit is the current Supervisor of New Buffalo Township, a position she has held since 2016 after serving as a trustee on the Township Board for three years. Throughout her tenure, Michelle has spearheaded a variety
Ambassador of the Year
LEANNE BROWNFIELD
ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST
STRUGIS BANK & TRUST
Leanne Brownfield is the Assistant Vice President at Sturgis Bank in Berrien
