The 2025 Cheers to You! Award Winners

Honoring the Leaders, Volunteers and Local Businesses Making an Impact

Cheers to You! recognizes the people who have made important contributions to our city and business community. The annual Membership Awards event is a tribute to the members and volunteers who make the Winter Park Chamber and the Winter Park community exceptional.

Cheers to You! 2025 Awards Celebration is presented by AdventHealth Rothman Orthopaedic Institute.

2025 Cheers to You! Membership Awards Winners

Lydia Gardner Citzen of the Year: Thomas J. McMacken Jr., PLA, ASLA

Lifetime Achievement Honoree: Harold A. Ward III

Champion of the Year: John Brown

Chamber Hero: Platt Loftis

Debra Hendrickson Volunteer of the Year: Douglas Rudnick

Chairman of the Year: Ivan Lys-Dobradin

Volunteer of the Year: Tau Kappa Epsilon at Rollins College

Honorees: Julie Hughes/Hughes Fioretti Photography; Ovation Construction

 

Ambassador of the Year: Kerry Merrigan

Honorees: Shirley Jones, Jo-Ann Lamar

Emerging Leader: Morgan Blair

Honorees: Inza Ford; Jack Greene, Jr.

 

Business of the Year: The Good Pour Winter Park

Honorees: Direct One; The Grand Bohemian Orlando

 

Small Business of the Year: Chayote Barrio Kitchen

Honorees: Hi Hello Labs; Pearson's Catering

 

New Business of the Year: Solana Fine Art

Honorees: Grapollo Cucina Italiano; School of Rock

 

Community Organzation of the Year: Peace and Justice Institute

 

Lydia Gardner Citizen of the Year -- Thomas J. McMacken Jr., PLA, ASLA

The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce is honored to present the 2025 Lydia Gardner Citizen of the Year Award to Tom McMacken.

Over the course of his five-decade career in landscape architecture, Tom has provided site planning, design and construction observation services to clients on resorts, parks and commercial projects nationally and internationally.

Closer to home, Tom’s work includes projects at Walt Disney World, Lake Nona, the Winter Park Village, Park Avenue, Blue Jacket Park and the Park at Orwin Manor for which he received a design award from the Florida Chapter of American Society of Landscape Architecture.

Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Tom earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. He currently holds professional registrations in Florida and South Carolina.

Tom has graciously served on community boards and organizations throughout his career. In Winter Park, he has served two terms on the City Commission, has chaired the Public Art Advisory Board, Historic Preservation Board, Planning and Zoning Board and Tree Preservation Board. He also served on the Library Task Force, Fiber Optics Task Force and Orange County Community Action Board.

He is a past trustee of the Winter Park Library and has just completed his term as chair of the Mead Botanical Garden Inc. Board of Trustees.

Tom is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce where for the past 34 years he has been a volunteer on the Winter Park Autumn Arts Festival.

He is a past recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award. He and his wife, Ann, have been married for 35 years, and have a daughter, Emily. While currently retired, he continues to be a consultant for landscape architectural service and serves on the Mead Botanical Garden Inc. Board of Trustees.

Tom’s dedication to Winter Park isn’t driven by obligation; it’s a true labor of love rooted in care for his community.

This award was named for Lydia Gardner in 2013. Lydia was beloved and respected public servant, having served in her elected roles of Orange County Clerk of Courts and Orange County School Board chair.

Lydia’s legacy of public service and leadership is an inspiration for many who are engaged, informed and civic-minded individuals.

She believed in the concept of civic rent, of giving back to the community that has invested in and nurtured you in bold ways.

 

Lifetime Achievement Honoree -- Harold A. Ward III

Harold A. Ward III is a distinguished attorney and long-time civic leader whose legal career and community involvement have left a lasting imprint on the city’s cultural, educational and philanthropic landscape.

Mr. Ward practiced law at Winderweedle, Haines, Ward & Woodman, P.A., where he was a partner. He specialized for decades in estate planning, trust and estate administration, probate and representation of nonprofit foundations.

In this role he has provided counsel to major local institutions, most notably the Charles Hosmer Morse Foundation and the Elizabeth Morse Genius Foundation, two historically significant organizations that support the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art and numerous charitable endeavors in the region.

A Winter Park native, Ward earned both his A. and J.D. degrees from the University of Chicago and went on to clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black. After his service in the U.S. Air Force, he returned to Winter Park to build his legal career, raise his family with his late wife Libby, and deepen his engagement with civic life.

His community service is extensive and multi-faceted:

He served on the Rollins College Board of Trustees for more than four decades, including multiple terms as board chair, helping to guide the institution’s growth and mission.

He was president of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce in both 1971 and 1972 -- the only individual to hold two consecutive terms -- and was named the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year in 1999.

Ward has served on numerous boards, including Winter Park Memorial Hospital (now AdventHealth Winter Park), the United Way and the American Heart Association, among others.

In recognition of his contributions, Rollins College awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree and its prestigious Decoration of Honor.

Across his professional and volunteer roles, Mr. Ward is known for combining legal expertise with a deep commitment to preserving Winter Park’s history, enhancing its cultural institutions and supporting the well-being of the broader community.

 

Community Organization of the Year: Peace and Justice Institute

The Peace and Justice Institute (PJI), founded in 2008 and established as a nonprofit in 2023, is a catalyst for creating a world where all people are seen, valued and treated with dignity.

PJI’s transformative work goes beyond individuals, touching the lives of students, educators, business leaders, public safety professionals, and families throughout Central Florida.

Through healing dialogue, the Resilience Conference, leadership and employee development, and educator training, PJI equips individuals and organizations with practical tools rooted in respect, community building, and their “Principles for How We Treat Each Other. “

Chamber Hero: Platt Loftis

There are heroes among us who work tirelessly for the good of the Chamber, the community and their fellow citizens. They are the ones who move us from good to great.

As Waste Pro’s Central Florida Government Affairs Director, Platt has enjoyed supporting this wonderful community.

Upon graduating Leadership Winter Park, Class of 33, he quickly became active in the Winter Park community.

His activities include setting up “Touch-A-Truck” events for Winter Park schoolchildren, assisting with the city’s Earth Day Block Party, and he has helped set up recycling and solid waste collection at the city’s special events.

Lastly, he can be found cooking up a mean pancake at Leadership Winter Park’s annual Pancake Breakfast fundraiser.

Platt proudly lives by his company’s motto of “Caring for our Communities” in this unique city.

Winter Park Champion of the Year: John Brown

There are members of our community who shine a bright light on all that is good about us. Our 2025 Champion of the Year has helped showcase the Chamber and its members to our community and far beyond.

John Brown is the evening news anchor on FOX 35. He is a nationally recognized TV journalist, public speaker, radio talk show host, author of nearly a dozen books, and inventor.

He is an Emmy Award winner, a recipient of the Ella Dickey Literacy Medal for historical writing, named "Best Large Market News Anchor" by the Missouri Broadcasters Association, and won Emmy Awards for his special shows, "John Brown in Your Town".

In 2025 alone, John was named Florida’s Outstanding News Anchor by the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists and won two more Emmy awards including one for News Anchor. He was also named Missouri's Best Local Author and his Secret Orlando book rose to #1 on Amazon.

He has also been the host of the Winter Park Christmas Parade for the last 3 years, showcased Winter Park, its merchants, restaurants, Chamber members and the Leadership Winter Park program on Good Day Orlando morning show, and helps countdown the annual Christmas tree lighting live on air in Central Park.

 

Debra Hendrickson Leadership Volunteer of the Year: Doug Rudnick

This award recognizes the outstanding contributions of a Leadership Winter Park alumni. The award is named after Debra Hendrickson. Debra is a former Vice President of the Chamber and led the LWP program for many years. Her leadership and service continues to this day to make a significant impact to our program, the Chamber and our community.

The 2025 recipient is Doug Rudnick. Doug is a graduate of Leadership Winter Park Class 26, who has remained actively involved ever since his graduation from the program.

In addition to serving on various Leadership Winter Park committees throughout the years, he has for many years been a vital leader of our Pancake Breakfast, running the grill section that serves up thousands of pancakes and helps keep one of our largest fundraising events running smoothly.

His team of grill volunteers arrives at 5:00 AM each year, and Doug leads with steady guidance and a true commitment to the program, inspiring other alumni to stay engaged and serve.

We are honored to present this award to him. Doug, please join me on stage to accept this award.