Holmes County Chamber honors standout businesses and leaders at annual banquet

On Nov. 11 at Berlin Encore Hotel & Suites, the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce annual Awards Banquet honored the many people and businesses in Holmes County that have made it such a huge success.

That included this year’s six recipients of the special recognitions.

Holmes County Chamber Executive Director Tiffany Gerber introduced the chamber board members before offering her outlook on the past year and the future of the chamber.

Gerber said her team of Samantha Whitworth, Jennifer Knecht, Kenzie Gallion and newcomer Anistin Gallion have done exemplary work, even as the chamber had to shift gears while its Historic Downtown Millersburg offices were being dismantled and rebuilt.

“The center blends a new aesthetic with the classic, traditional furniture made in this area that people come to expect from Amish Country with a blend of the modern, so that people understand that when you come to Holmes County, we have traditional experiences and traditional products, but we also have one foot in the future and we’re being as innovative as possible.”

As for her staff, Gerber said, “I am so blessed to have such an incredible group of people who make my job more enjoyable. They are incredibly dedicated and hard-working and make the perfect team.”

Gerber also was pleased to note the chamber has reviewed and expanded on its mission statement to better define what the chamber represents and does for Holmes County and Amish Country as a whole.

She talked about dedicating their service to both support and strengthen local businesses, to developing the economic landscape, and providing innovative initiatives that enhance the tourism industry and help provide stability and vision for the future of Holmes County.

Gerber also talked about the Hardwood Furniture Guild and Leadership Holmes County and honored Paula Aurand, Wes Humble and Courtney Sigler as 2025 Chamber Ambassador winners. These three and others volunteer their time to help the chamber in its numerous events throughout the year.

Then came the crème de la crème of the evening: celebrating the 2025 chamber award winners.

“Our awards committee has a very interesting task every year,” Gerber said. “They sort through a list of nominations, all of which are hugely deserving, and it is a really tough job because there are so many deserving candidates.”

Capturing the Small Business of the Year was Cline Plumbing. Owners Kurt and Jody Cline took over the family business that began in 1961, purchasing it in 1995. Their son Skylar is now an integral part of the tradition.

“I’m very thankful for my dad, who led me down this road and taught me to work hard,” Kurt Cline said. “We’ve prided ourselves over the past 64 years in trying to keep our customers happy.”

Earning the Medium Business of the Year was Dutch Craft Furniture.

The family-owned company is operated by owner Gary Yoder, who also serves as the president of the Berlin Main Street Merchants.

Yoder said he feels blessed to live in a caring community filled with good, hard-working people, and serving Holmes County and people far beyond its borders has been a satisfying journey since he created the business in 2009.

“Every day I’m grateful for the opportunity because of what many people have done for us," Yoder said. “My goal is to simply do the same for others.”

The Large Business of the Year went to Melway Group.

Melway Group includes four businesses: Holmes Supply, Coshocton Ready Mix, Holmes Ready Mix and S&S Transport.

Brothers Steve and Phil Schlabach took over the company from their father, and now Phil serves as the leader of the company. He said Melway has expanded into a much bigger company than they ever envisioned.

He spoke about his employees, their work ethic and the standards set forth by his father.

“My advice to young entrepreneurs is get ready to work hard,” Phil Schlabach said. "Our Holmes County culture will always be strong because of who we are. And I’m grateful for our employees. Without them we would just have a whole bunch of expensive toys.”

The Community Service Award was presented to Cheryl Shaver.

Shaver’s list of volunteer positions is lengthy, as noted by presenter Bret Gallion.

“Cheryl truly embodies what community spirit is all about,” Gallion said. “Her heart for service has touched so many corners of our community, from Holmes Center for the Arts to 4-H and Holmes County Relay for Life.”

As a breast cancer survivor, Shaver said she knows there is a reason for everything, and giving back to others is a blessing worth working toward.

“It’s important to be a part of your community,” Shaver said.

The Educator of the Year recipient was longtime educator and administrator Joe Wengerd, who left his imprint on both the east and west side schools.

Wengerd was a teacher, principal and superintendent and began his educational career in Logan County working for children’s services.

He said people in his life, especially at Bluffton College, helped him realize the importance of education and brought out in him a desire to serve in the educational capacity.

“There were people that I can remember well in leadership roles who impacted me a lot,” Wengerd said. “Actually, they saw something in me that I didn’t even see in myself.”

He never forgot that lesson and implemented that love of education throughout his 36-year career, with 28 of those years serving in Holmes County.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Steve Mullet, owner of Mt. Hope Auction.

Presenter Mike Sommers said although this is a lifetime achievement honor, Mullet is far from finished in serving Holmes County.

“To measure the impact Steve and his vision have had on the community of Mt. Hope, the agricultural industry in Holmes County, is nearly impossible,” Sommers said, noting that among his achievements is bringing a strong water system to Mt. Hope.

Sommers asked people familiar with Mullet what words define Mullet, and he said many of the words were repeated.

Those qualities included loyalty, honesty, integrity, dependability, being a quiet Christian leader and his unofficial moniker of being the “Mayor of Mt. Hope.”

“There’s a lot of people here who helped me out including my family,” said Mullet, whose sons have now moved into key roles in operating the auction company.

Sommers ended by noting Mullet deserves this honor because he not only represented these qualities in his work life, but also it extended to his life at home, at church and in his community.