Indiana Chamber Honors Five at 37th Awards Dinner
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce recognized four individuals and one city at its annual dinner and welcomed a new board chairman.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in People
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce held its 37th Annual Awards Dinner at the JW Marriott Indianapolis, presented by SIHO, honoring four individuals and one city. Scott McCorkle, CEO of Metaimpact, was welcomed as the organization's new board chairman at the annual board meeting.
Why it matters
The awards recognize business, civic and education leaders across Indiana, and the leadership change shapes the direction of the state's largest business advocacy group. The event also brought together honorees from Indianapolis and surrounding communities.
The 37th Annual Awards Dinner recognized four individuals and one city, with La Porte named Yamaha Community of the Year. The dinner was held two days after the mid-term election, and the criteria behind each award were not detailed in the announcement.
The players
Indiana Chamber of Commerce
The Indiana Chamber of Commerce is the state's leading business advocacy organization, representing employers on policy and economic issues.
Scott McCorkle
Scott McCorkle is the CEO of Metaimpact who became chairman of the Indiana Chamber board.
Roger Penske
Roger Penske is a prominent racing and automotive business executive who founded Penske Corporation.
Pamela Whitten
Pamela Whitten is the president of Indiana University, the state's flagship public university based in Bloomington.
The details
Honorees included Roger Penske, named Ogletree Deakins Business Leader of the Year; Indiana University President Pamela Whitten, named NextEra Energy Resources Dynamic Leader of the Year; Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen, named Birch Bayh-Richard Lugar Government Leader of the Year; and Nate Feltman, named Keystone Group-Indy Eleven Entrepreneur of the Year. Trey Gowdy and Jessica Tarlov also took part in a conversation on the national landscape during the dinner.
Timeline
November 6, 2026: Indiana Chamber holds its 37th Annual Awards Dinner at the JW Marriott Indianapolis.
November 6, 2026: Scott McCorkle is welcomed as chairman of the Indiana Chamber board at the annual board meeting.
Industry Landscape
The 37th edition continues the Indiana Chamber's long-running annual tradition of recognizing business and civic leaders across the state. The 2026 dinner placed the honors alongside a leadership transition at the top of the organization.
For Indianapolis-area businesses and employers, the chamber's leadership change may influence the policy priorities the organization advocates for in the coming year. Residents can follow the honorees' work in business, government and education as the state's economic agenda develops.
The takeaway
Recognizing leaders across business, government, and education highlights the range of people shaping Indiana's economy. Readers interested in local leadership can follow honorees and the chamber's agenda as new priorities take shape.
Further reading
For more profiles of business and civic leaders, browse People coverage across Indianapolis.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WBIW.
