Crossroads Chamber celebrates 15 years as Northwest Indiana’s Chamber of Commerce at annual gala

Crossroads Chamber welcomed hundreds of guests to Hard Rock Casino in Northwest Indiana to celebrate 15 years of serving the Northwest Indiana community at the chamber’s annual gala. Putting on the Ritz: Cheers to 15 Years, presented by Franciscan Health, celebrated the chamber’s success in boosting the growth of Northwest Indiana’s business community.

Crossroads Chamber President and CEO always looks forward to the gala because it gives her a chance to share in Crossroads Chamber members’ excitement after a year of hard work.

“We’re so excited. We turned 15 years in January, so we’ve been celebrating it all year. We’re just super excited to bring the community together, all of our business people and our businesses that support us every year, so we can be stronger and better for our community. We’re thrilled to be here tonight and celebrate it all with everyone in the community,” Patena said.

The event featured a cocktail hour, live entertainment from Dick Diamond and the Dusters, and a silent auction and jewelry pull to raise funds for future Crossroads Chamber projects and initiatives. 

The event also honored people in the community who made a noted impact on Northwest Indiana during a small awards ceremony. Crossroads Chamber recognized four individuals: Dr. Tammy Betz of Wheeler Middle School and Brian Trapp of Crown Point High School as Inspiring Educator Award winners; Sgt. Lance Schmidt of the Merrillville Police Department and Cpl. Daniel Lee of the Crown Point Police Department as Police Officers of the Year; and Mitchell Crooker of the Dyer Fire Department as Firefighter of the Year.

“We don’t do our jobs for rewards. We do it because we love it, and we want to give back to our community. When you see events like tonight and the fabulous people that are here and see how much they appreciate the work that we do, it is so amazing to be recognized by them and to receive an award,” SGT. Lance Schmidt, Merrillville Police Department said.

Successfully putting on this gala annually requires a lot of preparation, coordination, and buy in from Crossroads Chamber’s members. Being able to host an event recognizing the businesses that make up the backbone of the Region’s community.

“I think it’s important to recognize both educators and first responders in the community. I think it’s the least we can do because we know how much they impact our community. So just to take this time out to say thank you is the least we can do,” John Jordan, chairman of the board for Crossroads Chambers said.

The gala also wouldn’t be possible without the event’s sponsors. This year’s sponsors included several organizations that work closely with Crossroads Chamber every day:

• Presenting Sponsor – Franciscan Health
• Showstopper Entertainment Sponsor – IBEW Local 697
• Emerald Sponsor – Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana
• Theme Sponsor – Crow Holdings
• Speakeasy Bar Sponsor – American Structurepoint, CORE Construction
• Paparazzi Sponsor – Trinity Displays
• Luxe Centerpiece Sponsor – Luxor Homes
• First Responder Sponsor – NIPSCO
• Inspiring Educator Sponsor – Purdue Federal Credit Union
• Vintage Wine Sponsor – ABCO General Contractors and Real Estate Services
• Titanium Sponsor – Centier Bank, Cleveland-Cliffs, Lerner & Rowe, Methodist Hospitals, Powers Health, Purdue Federal Credit Union, Purdue University Northwest, Town of Merrillville, UnitedHealthcare
• Platinum Sponsor – City of Crown Point, NWI Integrative Health & Wellness, Plumbers Local 210, Robinson Engineering
• Gold Sponsor – South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority, Superior Ambulance Service, Surf Internet, Wintrust Commercial Banking
• Silver Sponsor – TradeWinds Services
• Bronze Sponsor – Invenergy

“This is nice. First responders don’t do the job to be recognized so every once in a while, it’s nice. It’s important that the community comes together and has events like this,” Cpl Daniel Lee, Crown Point Police Department, said.

As 2025 comes closer to its end, Crossroads Chamber is already preparing to carry its commitment to the Region into the new year. If you want to become involved with the chamber and help support growth in Northwest Indiana, visitcrossroadschamber.org to learn more about upcoming events and opportunities.