Wabash County, IN – Grow Wabash County had a full house of almost 240 community members for its seventh annual State of Our Communities event on Thursday, Feb. 15.
The crowd listened enthusiastically as local community leaders each took turns in the
spotlight to talk about the great things to come for Wabash County in the year to come.
The community speakers featured were: Tracie Hensley from the Town of LaFontaine, Kristie
Bone from the Town of Lagro, Jim Smith from the Town of North Manchester, Bob Ferguson
from the Town of Roann, Mayor Scott Long from the City of Wabash and Barry Eppley from
the Wabash County Commissioners.
Tenille Zartman, president and CEO of Grow Wabash County, emceed the annual event.
During her opening remarks, Zartman drew inspiration from the impending total solar eclipse
that is slated to cross through Indiana this spring. She talked of how transitions, of any kind,
can seem “dark” and troubling at times, but there is always light on the other end. She
encouraged the entire crowd to embrace those transitions and to equip themselves with the
tools necessary (like some handy solar eclipse glasses) to help make the transition all the more
easy.
The presentations from the community representatives drew laughs and applause and even a
few tears courtesy of Bob Ferguson as he shared the exciting news that construction on the
new Roann park will begin this spring. Communities like Lagro and LaFontaine celebrated and
welcomed their new businesses and big plans for what comes next. Other communities like
Wabash and North Manchester talked about large-scale initiatives and programs aimed
directly at continuing the momentum of growth and prosperity that Wabash County has
grown accustomed to.
Following the presentations, these local leaders participated in a roundtable Q&A session with
the current Leadership Development Wabash County cohort which encouraged further,
deeper conversation between the leaders and participants about what progress and growth
may look like for Wabash County in 2024 and beyond.
We are thankful to all of the local companies and individuals that showed their support for
this annual event by signing on as event sponsors.
Breakfast Sponsors: Arc of Wabash County; Josiah White’s; Manchester University; MPS Egg
Farms
Gold Sponsors: BioNutrients Ag, LLC; City of Wabash; Community Foundation of Wabash
County; Intertech Products; PaperWorks Industries; Parkview Wabash Hospital; Pathfinder
Services; Town of North Manchester
Silver Sponsors: American Structurepoint; Beacon Credit Union; Bippus State Bank; Bowen
Center; Carey Services; Crossroads Bank; Downs, Tandy & Petruniw; Duke Energy; Integrity
Control & Automation, LLC; Lundquist Appraisals & Real Estate; Wabash Carnegie Public
Library; Wabash Castings, Inc.
Bronze Sponsors: Autumn Ridge Rehabilitation Centre; Downtown Wabash, Inc.; First Farmers
Bank & Trust; NIPSCO; Regional Chamber of NE Indiana; Star Excavating; Tri-Oaks Realty
Copper Sponsor: Tim’s THAI 2 GO
