Skip to content
Local Business & Economy Hartford City

Chamber honors local businesses and leaders at 2026 Annual Banquet

By The Blackford Ledger The Blackford Ledger
Chamber honors local businesses and leaders at 2026 Annual Banquet
Image might be generated by AI and not necessarily reflective of the actual subject of the article.

The Hartford City Chamber of Commerce held its 2026 Annual Banquet, Awards & Live Auction Wednesday night at the Lake Placid Christian Conference Center, recognizing six award winners from across the Blackford County business community.

Citizens State Bank was named Business of the Year. The People’s Marketplace received the Chamber’s first-ever Groundbreaker Award.

Blackford County Sheriff Jim Heflin received the Excellence in Leadership Award one day after winning reelection to a second four-year term. “I love this county, I love our Sheriff’s Office, and I am proud of the direction we are moving,” Heflin said in a social media post after the ceremony.

Other honorees included Owen Apple, named Young Entrepreneur of the Year; Missy Teats, named Heritage Citizen of the Year; and Doris Wilson, who received the Community Champion award.

The evening included a live auction conducted by Flesher Brothers Auctioneering & Real Estate with auctioneer Kaden Khayyata. Johnathon Cameron of Cameron Corp. Photography provided event photography, and ADM Custom Creations printed the photo backdrop, awards, and programs, according to the Chamber.

About our reporting: The Blackford Ledger builds its government coverage from official public records, and every report is reviewed by an editor before publication. Read our Editorial Policy & Corrections or request a correction.

TAGS: Hartford City Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet Citizens State Bank Jim Heflin Blackford County