Foellinger Foundation presented the 2020 David A. Bobilya Excellence in Nonprofit Leadership Award to Zach Sauder at the Foundation’s livestream event held on October 28.

The award, established in honor of former Foellinger Foundation board member and community leader David Bobilya, recognizes the importance of individual board members in nonprofit organizations in four focus areas—governance, leadership, financial sustainability and program impact.

“As Board Chair with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne, Mr. Sauder has exhibited adaptive leadership in recognizing the opportunities that crises and challenges can bring. He has helped guide the organization through uncertain times and significantly expanded its physical and digital programming and services. Additionally, in the midst of the pandemic, his leadership helped complete a successful merger, ensuring the organization’s continued long-term success,” said Michael Moellering, Foellinger Foundation Board Chair.

The ceremony also featured a keynote address by Danielle Shoots, CEO of The Daily Boss Up, on the topic of “Leading Through Generations.”

From its founding, the mission of Foellinger Foundation has been to positively impact the lives and well-being of our community’s citizens by supporting strong nonprofit leadership. This year’s nominees embody the values at the core of the work we do—integrity, accountability, responsibility and results. By supporting these strong leaders, we can best serve the families and individuals of Allen County on their journey to greater self-reliance.

The nominees for this year’s award included dedicated leaders from throughout our community:

Phil Henry Paragon Tube (Board Treasurer for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Indiana)
Zach Sauder Katz, Sapper & Miller (Board Chair for Boys & Girls Clubs of Fort Wayne)
Diane Calinski Manchester University (Board Secretary for Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana)
Jeremy Hostetler Christen Souers (Board Treasurer for Community Transportation Network)
Whitney Bandemer Trine University (Board Chair for the Embassy Theatre Foundation)
David Storey (Board President for Fort Wayne Civic Theatre)
Chuck Surack Sweetwater (Board Chair for Fort Wayne Philharmonic)
Doug Wood Sweetwater (Immediate Past Chairman for Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana)
Andrea Kendall Chase Bank (Board President for MLK Montessori School)
Darrel Dodane St. Vincent De Paul Society (Board Marketing Director and Chairperson of the Capital Campaign Committee for St. Vincent de Paul Society)
Kevin Besore First Merchants Bank (Board Secretary for Science Central)
Corinna Ladd PNC Bank (Incoming Vice Chairman for Turnstone)
Sue Ehinger (Chairwoman for the United Way of Allen County) 
Andy Binkley Weigand Construction (Board Chairman for Youth for Christ of Northern Indiana)

Thank you to all of the nominees for their service and leadership in our community.