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THE MAGAZINE OF THE GREATER VALPARAISO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Vol. 13 Issue 1 | Winter 2013 Valparaiso VMMagazine Chuck Worden Lifetime Valparaiso Resident GROWING A SALUTE TO Leadership2012 800-727-6337 • www.nwicp.com | Vol. 13 Issue 1 PAGE 4 Winter 2013 GROWING COVER Valparaiso Magazine Valparaiso VM PAGE 14 Valpo Chamber Business Awards PAGE 18 A Salute to Leadership FEATURES SECTIONS PAGE 12 New Member Investors New Board-approved members A publication of the Greater Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce. 162 W. Lincolnway, Valparaiso, IN 46383 PAGE 17 Phone (219) 462-1105, Fax (219) 462-5710 Business Snapshot [email protected] BridgePoint Church valparaisochamber.org PAGE 22 Business Snapshot House of Fabian GREATER VALPARAISO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PAGE 23 Rex Richards, President Member Investor Julie Gaskell, Vice President, Operations Anniversaries Danielle Oeding, Vice President, Sales & Marketing VALPARAISO MAGAZINE is published A showcase of members who have Susan Antoszewski, Marketing & quarterly by the Greater Valparaiso demonstrated ongoing commitment Communications Specialist Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 330, Kurt Gillins, Programs Director Valparaiso, IN 46384-0330. PAGE 24 Christine Pazdur, Accounting Director Around Town Sue Stymiest, Resource Director To submit “Around Town” entries, Local business news call (219) 462-1105 or send to: PAGE 29 [email protected], Attn: Editor. Business Snapshot VALPARAISO MAGAZINE Locks of Fun Publisher: Rex Richards For advertising inquiries, Editor: Susan Antoszewski call (219) 462-1105, Attn: Danielle. PAGE 31 Sales: Danielle Oeding Ask an Expert Design and Production: Morse + Harris Marketing VALPARAISO MAGAZINE circulates “How Can I Provide the Cover/Feature Photography: Aran Kessler Photo.Imaging 18,000 copies per issue by direct mail to Best Customer Service?” Printing: Home Mountain Printing all businesses, and, on a rotating basis, PAGE 33 Mailing: Flanagin’s Bulk Mail Service to most households in the 46383, 46384 Business Spotlight and 46385 zip codes. Advertisers in the spotlight Subscriptions may be purchased PAGE 34 at an annual rate of $12, for those Our Voice outside our regular circulation. “The Chamber Supports Vital Links in Northwest Indiana” CALENDAR OF EVENTS valparaisochamber.org www.valparaisochamber.org 3 GROWING By Laurie Wink Valparaiso is a vibrant, visionary, values-based community created by generations of civic-minded residents, including the four individuals profiled in this issue. Their “can do” spirit and desire to give back has been nurtured Chuck by family members, local WORDEN business owners and nonprofit Chuck Worden, organization leaders. Sharing 70, grew up in the personal stories and thoughts 1940s. As a lad, he about what it has meant to grow remembers riding his up in this close-knit community, bike all over town. the quartet explains the reasons He loved getting a bowl of soup at they continue to call it home. Harvey’s Dime Store and going to the Premier Theater downtown. “We got to see westerns and several cartoons for a quarter,” he says. Starting at Central School and continuing through old Valparaiso High School, Worden says, “You just can’t ask for better ‘growing up’ years.” “My grandfather was a county councilman and Center Chuck and his brother, Tom, were raised in a five-room Township trustee,” he says. “My mother was involved bungalow on Bush and Franklin Streets, a block south with the Republican Women’s Club and did a lot of of the Grand Trunk railroad tracks and two blocks volunteer work. Our family was always involved in south of Tower Park. Their father, Dave Worden, was our church also.” a dispatcher for NIPSCO and mother, Wilma, was Worden married Marian Pulver, the daughter of a homemaker. Their parents played bridge, hosted Valparaiso natives Robert and Ruth Pulver. She went potlucks, and organized family-oriented activities that to high school in Manila, where her father worked didn’t require a lot of money, Worden recalls. for Exxon, and then attended Valparaiso University. Worden learned the importance of helping people Worden was a marketing major at Indiana University from his mother and his maternal grandfather, when he became reacquainted with Marian at a July Vernon Beach. 4th party. Taking her for a spin in his hot ’59 Ford convertible – black with a red-and-white interior – 4 Valparaiso Magazine | Winter 2013 “VALPARAISO’S GROWTH WAS A TEAM EFFORT AND STILL IS TODAY. IT’S A FAMILY-ORIENTED COMMUNITY, A HELPING- ONE-ANOTHER COMMUNITY, A SERVICE-ORIENTED COMMUNITY.” —Chuck Worden Chuck recalls, “I knew I kinda liked Worden was on the city council for few bucks,” he says. “You have to her but I was focused on graduating eight years and ran (unsuccessfully) believe in the organization you work from college.” for mayor in 1983. Although that for. When you believe in what you’re ended his political career, it didn’t doing, it’s easy to sit down and talk After completing his studies in stop his drive to serve the community about the needs of that group.” January 1965, Worden returned in other ways. He’s been active in to Valparaiso and married Marian. a host of organizations, including For several years, Worden served Their daughter, Patricia, was born on the Town and Gown committee the Valpo Jaycees, Valpo Chamber, the following year, and Carole Rotary, the YMCA, Spring Valley/ at the request of the mayor. came along three years later. Housing Opportunities, the Board of Representatives of the city and Both daughters are married and live Realtors and the Historical Society. Valparaiso University discussed in Fort Wayne and Murfreesboro, projects and issues of mutual interest Tenn., respectively. Worden’s forte is fundraising. “I in an effort to bridge the gap between seem to have a knack for raising a community and campus. >> www.valparaisochamber.org 5 GROWINGUpValpo “WHAT’S BEEN REALLY COOL IS THAT THE LEADERS OF THE CITY HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB OF BRINGING THE DOWNTOWN TO LIFE. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN NICE BUT THEY’VE BROUGHT IT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.” —Debbie Anselm >> “When I was a kid, you didn’t go up Snyder led by example. “He was a photographed the evolving downtown to the hill,” he said. “You hardly knew great organizer for large projects.” landscape over several decades. the university was there. There was very little back and forth.” In banking, Worden was influenced During a recent visit to the Valpo by leaders such as Joe Bibler, Chamber building, he pointed across Worden learned volunteerism from men Les Robinson, Pete Candela, Lincolnway at buildings from the late he worked with during the ‘60s, ‘70s Mike Schrage and Jim Ellsworth. 1800s and 1900s and noted the various and ‘80s. The first was Clair Maxwell He recalls having quality experiences businesses that had occupied them at the Western Auto store, where with others, including Charlie Bowman, over the years. he worked during high school. At the Jim McGill, Len Ellis, and Alan Harre. Oxford Shop, he worked with Chuck Worden is proud of today’s bustling Heppner. “He was involved in church, “They all gave me the time to devote downtown business district, with its the park board, Rotary, and more I’m to many community projects, large and mélange of shops, restaurants, and small,” Worden says. “These folks laid entertainment options. sure,” Worden said. the foundation for the city we know As a real estate professional, Worden today and made it easy for new kids like “We’ve been working on that the last learned from John Wiggins, a former me to help do what we could to keep several years,” he explains. “There was high school teacher and coach. “He ‘community’ going strong in Valpo.” a time when there were more vacancies was a great mentor in the classroom downtown. But now we have a mix and in the real estate office and politics Worden worked for five businesses on of restaurants and more people are too,” Worden said. After that, Harley Lincolnway during his diverse career in working downtown. It’s a destination retail, real estate, and banking and has and people are talking about what’s happening. And the park is wonderful.” 6 Valparaiso Magazine | Winter 2013 Worden emphasized that no single person has been During high school, she hung out at Greek’s Pizzeria, responsible for the community’s growth and vitality. owned by the Karamasines family, and Valpo Velvet, “Valparaiso was not built on ‘I, I, me, me,’” he said. owned by her classmate Mike Brown’s family. “After “It was a team effort and still is today. It’s a family- high school basketball games, everybody would oriented community, a helping-one-another community, go to Tony’s,” Anselm recalls. a service-oriented community.” She enjoys seeing her children having fun downtown Since retiring from Centier Bank three years ago, with their friends. “What’s been really cool is that the Worden passionately pursues golf, reading, and leaders of the city have done a great job of bringing painting. If it’s not fun, he isn’t doing it. He’s happy the downtown to life. It’s always been nice but they’ve to play nine holes with friends and, especially, brought it to a whole new level, especially with Central his grandsons. He devours mysteries rather than Park Plaza.” business-related material. “I don’t read anything too deep,” he chuckles. “I don’t have to do that anymore.” Anselm graduated from Valparaiso High School in 1981 and earned a bachelor’s degree in public affairs And he’s discovered a talent for painting that has from Indiana University in 1986. After briefly living in been nurtured by artist Susan Young. Worden paints Indianapolis, she took a job at the Valparaiso YMCA, mostly landscapes for family members, charity where she established the gymnastics program.