Some of Manhattan’s best business leaders and volunteers were recognized Friday at the 99th annual Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting.
The honor of the night went to Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr, who was selected as the 2023 Lud Fiser Citizen of the Year.
Fehr is retiring in April after more than four decades with the city, including the past 24 years in his current leadership position.
The 2023 C. Clyde Jones Volunteer of the Year award was given to retired attorney Jim Morrison.
Morrison has been instrumental in several philanthropic efforts, including the launching of Meadowlark Hills and co-founding the Flint Hills Breadbasket, the Manhattan Public Schools Foundation and Greater Manhattan Community Foundation.
Blade Mages was named the 2023 Young Professional of the Year.
His service includes leading rebranding of the chamber’s young professionals’ program and the MHK Together initiative, which helped distribute grocery gift cards to residents during Covid shutdowns. Mages is also leading ongoing renovations of Wareham Hall in downtown Manhattan.
Pepsi-Cola of Manhattan GM and Vice President Jake Wassenberg was introduced as the 2024 Chamber Board Chairman. He says part of this year’s economic strategy this year will focus on more private sector job growth, including looking at long-term solutions for a new Manhattan business park.
Other board strategies will include a continued focus on solutions to address the shortage of child care providers in the Manhattan area and ongoing housing challenges.
Wassenberg succeeds Mark Knackendoffel, who served as the Chamber’s 2023 chairman of the board.
