Many years ago, the tradition of the Good Life Awards with the solid steel custom-crafted award began to recognize six people who have demonstrated exceptional willingness and ability to stand up for good. The 42 people who have earned one of these hunks of steel have shared the common denominator of sharing my passion for spreading positivity and have demonstrated the willingness to do something meaningful about it. People step forward to encourage what we’re doing not just because it’s smart but because it’s good, and good matters to them.
The 6 that we celebrate today, have in their words, actions, communication, encouragement, and the way they live their values impressed and impacted me personally and our team professionally. Their faith in us and the potential impact that a collective of positively minded people can have on the community around them are because they are superheroes in their field, advocates more than advertisers, and leaders who combine passion and purpose that leave an impact on those they serve.
Gene Crusie - CEO of Surf Internet
There was a clarity of purpose I saw in Gene the minute I met him. In his work, in his marriage, in his sporting life, and in his faith. He is humbly working to bring out the best in himself and those around him all the time. When he says the BEST, it applies to everything. Surf Internet is growing quickly across many communities, delivering on the potential for high-speed connectivity and bringing that level of technology, customer service, investment, and delivery to many communities where there have been limited or no options for that level of service. That requires a relentlessly high-functioning team and one that knows how to serve the customer across a variety of disciplines all while growing people as fast as the fiber they are putting in the ground.
Gene brings clarity of purpose he has in competing in a ridiculous number of intense physical challenges of many kinds, and I see how those fuel him, not drain him. It is as if the grueling demand makes him happy. Outside of work, he shares about these intense physical competitions, his deep faith, and his wife. Gene is crazy about his wife. They run together, travel together, challenge each other, parent and grandparent together, and they do it all like he does everything else: passionately, purposefully, and with everything he has.
Mary Fetsch - Director of Marketing & Corporate Communications at Community Healthcare System
Mary is the first of many people at Community Healthcare System to believe in our mission. Her faith in pursuing good news came early on in our journey, well before we were proven. She believed in the opportunity for us to help them in Lake County before we were anybody in Lake County. She saw what we could be, and I had a sense of it from when we first met. This was not an advertiser but an advocate. She appreciated our mission and has been so encouraging to every one of our people, and that set the tone for the relationship we have built over all these years with every person at Community.
She values people, loyalty, and positivity and when we expanded our relationship with Community earlier this year, it was a relationship with those people that was expanded, not just a business commitment. I know this sounds pretty corny in today’s day and age, but our people feel appreciated working with their people. I think they really like what we do, and that means the world to me.
Dave Uran - President and CEO of the South Shore Convention & Visitors Authority
The minute you shake Dave’s hand, you understand he’s a coach and a leader, and is someone that once you shook his hand and agreed on something, it would happen.
Our relationship started when he was an absolute driver for the City of Crown Point building, enhancing, upgrading, and bringing a load of economic activity to his city as mayor. He has been an athlete, a cop, a coach, a husband, a dad, a referee, and a competitor. Dave plays to win in everything he does. His coaching mentality is ever present.
Now at South Shore, his mind is focused on volleyball competitions, softball tournaments, festivals, and events that bring people into our community. His discipline, development, and expectations for his team are similarly all about winning the travel dollars for Northwest Indiana.
After I spend time with him, I am motivated. I see things that he does that I want to emulate. His people wherever he goes are very confident, and they are people of purpose. None of that stuff gets that way by accident, and I’m proud to say I think I’ve earned Dave’s respect, and as anyone in Dave’s circle could likely attest, that’s hard-earned.
Craig Harrell - Chief Marketing Officer of Center for Hospice Care
I met Craig many years ago when he was serving in Lake County and developed a friendship along with a partnership. All these years later, working with him in La Porte County and Michiana, he has been an advisor, a walking testimonial for who we are and what we do, and an engaged partner in our mission.
Craig is one of the key drivers behind our expansion to South Bend, Mishawaka, and the Michiana region. I told Craig I wanted to be fully in the Michiana market for Center for Hospice Care back when Pete Buttigieg was mayor, but I had to get the team ready to do it without the same dependence on me that we had in our existing business as this would be our biggest expansion yet. He pushed but was patient, and kept believing me when I said, “We’re coming soon.”
Jenny took over and ran the company, Ashley grew into her role, and our crew of leaders and team members all came into their own. Craig’s faith in us and what we are doing will turn into reality as we bring GreatNews.Life to Michiana in 2024, and he is proud like a dad or a grandpa. Craig is smart as heck, he is keenly aware of people and relationships, he loves his company and the mission they serve, he loves his wife, and he continues to earn my great respect.
Tom Dermody - Mayor of the City of La Porte
Dermody is always communicating with us, saying things like, “I love what you’re doing and I want to help.” “It’s awesome to see you, thanks for coming.” “I’ve got a great idea for a positive story you can do.” “I want to learn more about social media. Can I come to your office so you can teach me? Tomorrow?”
When I text him and say, “Let’s do a promo video for Lake Fest. I’ll shoot it on my phone and a GoPro, and we will do it riding JetSki’s on the lake.” Tom texts back immediately and says, “Let’s do it.” I say, “Great, line up the jet skis and tell me what day to be there,” and he does.
He wants to make things happen, and he has ridiculously high expectations for himself, the city, and everyone who works for or lives in the city. He is tireless, in the moment, and relentless in pursuit of the best future for his city. He began pounding the pavement, giving notice to delinquent building owners, drug dealers, or anyone who did not have the best in mind for La Porte or could not see that La Porte can and will be a better city. He goes toe to toe with anyone, and he does ridiculous things like put his cell phone number out there for people to call, all in the spirit of winning for La Porte.
Gena DeMuth - Interim Chief Nursing Officer for Northwest Health - Porter, New Media Journalist for GreatNews.Life
Gena, how many years she has been with us? How many events she has covered? How many photos she has taken? How many memories have been shared with others here and now and gone? How many races, games, proms parades, business celebrations, and concerts in the park has she covered? How many times has someone in the community said, “Oh my gosh, thank you so much.” Gena is kind and friendly and so impactful. She is engaging in representing our mission. She is the ultimate in class, work ethic, self-critique, self-development. She is one of the most appreciative, helpful, and productive human beings I have ever met.
Her career has continually grown as she’s taken on a multitude of new roles in nursing, though she has never left the GreatNews.Life family. She steps in when she can if we have a critical need for one of our best, helping during crazy seasons like graduation, Popcorn Fest, or the Turkey Trot where so many know her, love her, and love her work. This is hard work; she goes to a game Friday night where it’s raining and cold, and she will be up late editing hundreds of pictures. She gets up Saturday morning to be out at New Prairie for cross country, racing from the starting line down into the trails and back up to the finish line where she ends up cold, tired, and wet with mud on her shoes and 10,000 steps on her watch.
It’s ridiculous, really, that someone as capable and successful as she is continues to set the bar for herself, continually higher. She walks step by step to teach new journalists how to be a fraction as good as she is. Being humble when you are awesome, being thankful when you deserve thanks, and being a wonderful human being makes for a match made in heaven. Gena, I will forever be grateful.