It has been my pleasure over the past two weeks to share the stories of two amazing recipients of major awards from the Carmel Chamber of Commerce – Ranjit Puthran and John Shuler.
To bring the trilogy to a conclusion, it is again my honor to report on a brand new accolade for the Carmel Chamber: the award for Young Professional of the Year.
The award recognizes an up-and-coming business person between the ages of 21 and 40 who has demonstrated leadership and exudes a passion for making a difference in our community.
To select a winner, the Civic Pride Committee didn’t have to look far as they considered the four tenets of the award. They searched for a leader, yet someone willing to mentor. The individual also had to be immersed in community service and demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit.
As if you needed yet another clue to guess the inaugural winner, he is the driving, single force most responsible for building a strong young professional organization within the Chamber called Arrows.
“The envelope please. And the winner of the 2013 Young Professional of the Year (insert envelope ripping noise here) Mr. Josh Carr.”
And with those words Carr made his way to the podium to accept this inaugural version of appreciation for the next generation who work and toil to make not only the Carmel Chamber a standout organization, but the city as well.
After recognizing his nominators and his wife, Christina, Carr referred to his belief in using “we” statements.
That philosophy became crystal clear from what his nominators wrote.
“(Carr) is forever giving and serves each organization through humor, grace and humility. He is a wonderful leader and sets a tremendous example of how young professionals can serve with dedication, commitment and passion.”
While Carr has been instrumental in building an outlet for young business people to channel their skills to the benefit of the Carmel Chamber, he also is involved in the community at large. He serves as Executive Board President for The Autism Society of Indiana.
The organization’s executive director, Dana Renay, describes Carr this way:
“He is one of the most dedicated ambassadors for the Autism Society of Indiana. With (Carr’s) help, the organization has grown from a small, grassroots organization to ranking in the top 10 chapters for the Autism Society of America.”
As 2013 draws to a close, we can rest assured the future is bright as we rely on influential people like Carr to lead us into the future.