Springfield Chamber to celebrate 100th anniversary, honor community members

Single tickets for the two-hour event are $75 for chamber members and $95 for nonmembers. A table of 10 can be reserved for $650 for members and $950 for nonmembers. Online registration for the event has already closed but those interested in attending can call the chamber at 937-521-1944.

MORE: Springfield News-Sun, WHIO finalists for AP Ohio Award

John Reuter, with the organization Strong Towns, will be the keynote speaker and will also speak with residents at the City Hall Forum from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss the philosophy of his organization.

The Thursday afternoon speaking engagement is free to the public and is part of a speaker series in Springfield that aims to tackle a wide array of topics centered around small and medium-sized communities.

Those topics include revitalizing the downtown area, ushering further investment into the community and discussing broad issues such as improving education as well as reducing crime rates, said Chris Schutte, vice president of destination marketing and communications for the Chamber of Greater Springfield.

Reuter will be discussing ways to create a vibrant community in a sustainable way, which is the platform of Strong Towns. That includes financially stable options that can attract more people into smaller communities.

MORE: Fire at South Charleston pallet factory not suspicious, fire official says

The event will also include the presentation of the Richard L. Kuss Lifetime Community Achievement Award, Business and Community Impact Awards, the unveiling of the 2020 “Big Dreamer” banner and a plated dinner.

Several businesses that will be honored at the event include Benjamin Steel, Imperial Express, Rudy’s Smokehouse and the Nehemiah Foundation. Community members that are expected to be honored as well include Tom Loftis and Jim Lagos, a former member of the executive committee of the Chamber of Greater Springfield.

Loftis, who is on the board of directors for Pentaflex, will be presented the Richard L. Kuss Lifetime Achievement Award.

“He has been a community leader and advocate for the better part of 40 years,” Schutte said of Loftis.

Schutte said that Loftis has been involved in several large projects in the area over the past few decades including the Clark State Performing Art Center, the Heritage Center Museum, the NTPRD Chiller and the rebuilding of Carleton Davidson Stadium.