At-Large Member Since January, 2015
Owner of Professional Employment Partners
Janice Hernandez is involved in many different boards and organization in the Starke County community. She has been in the staffing business since 2006. She owns Professional Employment Partners. Her service works with companies to help them find the best employees to work at the facilities. Janice is currently serving on the Foundation’s Workforce Development Committee and is serving her initial term on the Foundation’s Board of Directors. Janice also serves as a member of the Board of the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning, Inc. (SCILL).
Representative Member – Kankakee Valley REMC since 2014
Dave is the Director of Membership Services/Key Accounts at Kankakee Valley REMC. He is a past member of the South Central Community School Board of Directors, and he currently serves on the Noble Township Fire Board of Directors. He is also on the Board of Directors of The South Central Educational Foundation. Dave is a graduate of Gary Methodist Paramedic School and the Ball State Economic Development Course.
Retired from CenturyLink
Representative Member from 1987-2010
At-Large Member since 2011
Jim Wagner worked for more than forty years in the communications business before retiring from CenturyLink in 2010. He is a graduate of Elkhart High School, Elkhart Indiana; Indiana State University, B.S. Marketing; Ball State, Economic Development Course; and University of Oklahoma, Economic Development Degree Program.
Representative Member - DeMotte State Bank Since 2007
With over 30 years of experience in Community Banking, Carla Musial has served in the positions of Vice President and Knox Branch Manager at the DeMotte State Bank.
White Construction
At-Large Member since 2006
Originally from Starke County, Donald White went to work for Scott Foresman & Company immediately after high school graduation. He later took management courses at Purdue University North Central and completed a Dale Carnegie Course for Human Relations. In 1972, Donald and his brother started White Construction. In 1981, Donald took over sole ownership and became D.W. White Construction. Since 1972, he has been building homes and light commercial spaces in Starke, St. Joseph, Marshall, and Porter Counties. He also co-founded L.M.W. Investments LLC, and in 2005 became a land developer. Donald is currently developing Anchorage Town Homes at Bass Lake, Indiana.
Jeff Berg is a 1973 graduate of Knox High School who went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps and the United States Army Reserve Program. Upon Retirement from the military, Jeff served as an emergency medical services professional and certified medical equipment delivery technician until his retirement in 2015.
Jeff's public service includes 15 years on the Knox Plan Commission, he has served on the Knox Common Council since 2003 and has also been a member of the Knox Redevelopment Commission and as a representative on the Kankakee-Iroquois Regional Planning Commission..He is also a member of the Starke County Historical Society and a County Precinct Committeeman.
Judy has 38 years of experience with 1st Source Bank. Having held many different positions within the bank, Judy is currently Assistant Vice President and Manager at the Knox Banking Center.
Judy is involved in many community activities that promote Starke County.
Adam is Plant Manager at Galfab located in Winamac, Indiana, after serving for several years as Vice President of Operations at Kruz, Inc., Knox, Indiana
Adam brings 26 years experience in manufacturing to Starke County. Serving roles in a variety of aspects of manufacturing including tool and die, engineering and manufacturing management, Adam provides a diversified background with eleven years experience at MPI Indiana Fineblanking, three years in the Aero Space Industry with Howmet of LaPorte, and having served as Vice President of Operations for Kruz, Inc, in Knox since 2007, and now Plant Manager at Galfab since October of 2019.
Adam holds an Associates of Science Degree in Machine Trades from Vincennes University and is a Journeyman Tool and Die Maker. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering Technology with an emphasis in Organization Leadership from Purdue University.
Adam is past chair and a sitting member of the Northwest Indiana Workforce Board. The NWIWB is a board of business, education, labor, community, faith-based and economic development leaders responsible for the strategic vision of workforce development and governance of WorkOne in Northwest Indiana. They are also responsible for managing connections to key resources in the workforce and education arena as well as supporting efforts on programming that plan and nurture the seed of entrepreneurship. The board works to determine current and future skill needs together with economic developers, employers, and economists.
Adam and his wife Jill reside in Winamac and have three children.
Tim is a lifelong resident of Starke County. He retired in 2010 with over 38 years of service at Northern Indiana Public Service Company where he held various management positions in the areas of Substation and Tower Construction, Generating Station Planning and Maintenance, Safety and Training, and other operational and support related functions. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Supervision from Purdue University North Central. Tim completed Officers Candidate School at the Michigan Military Academy and was a member of the United States Army Reserve for twelve years. Previously he held the position of Chairman of the North Judson Planning and Zoning Board and was an elected member of the North Judson Town Council. Tim is currently an independent consultant under contract with Rudd Asset Management LLC, a utility consultant company. Tim lives in North Judson with his wife Kay (Shank) Cummins.
Nancy Dembowski is a life-long resident of Knox who was employed at WKVI Radio for 25 years. She also served as a member of the Starke County Council for seven years; Mayor of Knox for eleven years; two years in the Indiana Senate, District 5; and six years in the Indiana House, District 17. Nancy’s accomplishments also include the roles of VP of Starke County Economic Development Foundation; former President of the Knox Chamber of Commerce; former President of Starke County Junior Achievement; a Board member of Starke United; and a Board Member of the Starke County Community Foundation. She currently serves as Chair of Moving Starke County Forward.
Dennis currently serves as Mayor of the City of Knox after having spent several years as the Starke County Surveyor and as a member of the Starke County Plan Commission.
A.J. Gappa previously served as Superintendent of the Knox Community School Corporation and as President of the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning, Inc. (SCILL). He has been an at-large member since 2017.
Brad is a lifelong resident of Hamlet, Indiana. He is married to Jana. He has three children, Harper (10), Hudson (6), and Henry (3). He is a 1996 graduate of Oregon-Davis High School. He earned an Associate Degree in agribusiness from Vincennes University. He has been employed at Farm Fertilizers & Seeds, Inc., for 22 years. He has been a member of the Hamlet Fire Department for 16 years, presently serving as Chief. He is a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, presently serving as President. He was President of the Starke County Council and now serves as its Vice-President after having just been reelected to another term.
Wendy is a former member of the North Judson Town Council and for a portion of that time she served as President. She also serves on the Board for Habitat for Humanity.
Wendy has owned Hoppe Hardware, Inc. of North Judson for the past few years. She has been an Indiana Licensed Contractor Plumber for over 25 years and has been in the hardware industry for more than 40 years. She has lived in Starke County her entire life.
Education
ITT Technical Institute – Associate Degree – Electronic Engineering
Indiana University – BS Degree – Accounting/Finance
Work Experience
Price Waterhouse Accounting Firm – Audit
American Oak Preserving Company – Vice President – Sales, National Accounts – 39 years – Recently retired
RE/MAX Realty Broker
ATP Pilot Licenses
Co-Owner of Osinski Auction Service
Ben Osinski, a Professional Auctioneer, is co-owner of Osinski Auction Service, Inc. along with his wife, Dorothy. A first generation auction company since 1983, Ben conducts over 50 real estate and personal property auctions per year in Starke and surrounding counties. In addition to the Starke County Economic Development Foundation Board, he is also a State Director for the Indiana Auctioneers Association. Ben has previously served as President of the Foundation, and was recently elected to the Indiana Auctioneers Hall of Fame.
Christin is a Commercial Insurance Agent at 1st Source Insurance where she has worked for the last 6 years. She has been in the insurance business for over 13 years. She attended IU South Bend school of Criminal Justice before joining the insurance industry. She volunteers in various activities and helping improve the community in any way she can and enjoys spending her time with her husband and 4 children.
At-Large Member 2003-2020; Director Emeritus since 2021
Retired - Lockheed Martin Corporation
William J. Sonnemaker is retired from Lockheed Missile & Space Company with over 40 years experience in Facilities Management. He previously served for 7 years as President of the Starke County Economic Development Foundation. He is also a former Director and Treasurer of Starke United, the local United Way organization; a former Director of the Bass Lake Property Owners Association for six years, and continues as Director of the Starke County Initiative for Lifelong Learning (SCILL). Bill also served as a Director of the Sunnyvale, California Chamber of Commerce.
Bill’s education includes a BSIE from Bradley University, 1954; United States Air Force Contracting Officers School, 1955; Sanford Sloan Executive Fellow, 1968-1969. Bill’s affiliations include: Registered Professional Engineer, California; American Institute of Industrial Engineers; Society of Automotive Engineers; National Management Association; Industrial Development Research Council (Core Net); International Facility Management Association; and California Society of Professional Engineers.
Alex Weisheit came from Switzerland to this country in 1970. He started his professional career in Chicago where he acquired extensive international business experience by providing engineering support to licensees and customers in Europe and Japan. In 1988 Alex was assigned the task to start up the MPI plant in Knox and managed its operation for almost 20 years until his retirement in 2007.
Alex holds a BSME (Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering) from the Technical University in Biel, Switzerland.
At-Large Member since 2011; Executive Director from 2018-2020; At-Large Member since 2021
Larry is a lifelong resident of North Judson. He has a degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University. He and his wife, Marilyn, have two married daughters, Sarah and Julia. He is owner of Wickert Agronomy Service which provides agronomic consulting. His expertise includes fertilizer recommendations, field scouting, and crop insurance. He and Marilyn also operate Wickert Produce and Herb Farm raising chemical free vegetables and herbs.
Larry has been involved in the agriculture industry his entire career. He was previously a plant manager for a retail fertilizer plant, worked in feed sales, sold seed, and was engaged in farming.
As an active participant in community organizations, Larry serves on the North Judson-Wayne Township Library Board, North Judson United Methodist Church Administrative Council, North Judson Kiwanis, and Starke County 4-H Livestock Committee. Larry has served one term on the Starke County Board of Commissioners. He was also a Railroad Township Advisory Council member for two years.
Dr. Zupin currently serves as Superintendent of the North Judson-San Pierre Community School Corporation, after serving several years as High School Principal there.
Her experience with the North Judson-San Pierre School Corporation for 16 years includes 8 years as middle school principal, 6 years as high school principal, and she recently finished her second year as Superintendent.
Bachelors: Ball State University in Business Education
Masters: Ball State University in Educational Leadership
PhD: Indiana State University in Educational Leadership
She is passionate about education and the opportunity it provides our students. Education is one of the fundamental factors of development. She looks forward to working with community leaders to help create a community where students can secure quality jobs, escape poverty, support their families, and develop their society.