November 17, 2011

Evansville’s Jim McKinney Receives Indiana Chamber Volunteer of the Year Honor

Indianapolis, Indiana - Commitment to community improvement and bettering the state’s economic climate led to Evansville’s Jim McKinney receiving an Indiana Chamber of Commerce 2011 Volunteer of the Year award. The honor was presented today during a luncheon ceremony at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis.

McKinney has a long history of partnering with business and community leaders to improve the quality of life and business opportunities for Hoosiers. He’s spent the last 34 years with Evansville-based Regency Properties, which owns and operates 31 shopping centers in eight states and has a residential division in Indiana and Illinois. McKinney has overseen operations at the company for the last 19 years as its president and CEO.

Under McKinney’s leadership, Regency Properties strives to better the communities in which it has a presence. He has also served on numerous Indiana Chamber public policy committees (education, economic development and tax to name a few) and currently is a member of the task force for Indiana Vision 2025, the organization’s long-term economic development plan for the state to be unveiled next year.

“Jim McKinney’s dedication to making a difference in Indiana is evident,” offers Indiana Chamber President Kevin Brinegar. “He’s invested time and resources into a number of significant projects in his local community and beyond. He’s also put forth a great deal of effort through the years toward our organization’s fundraising, policy-making process, and membership recruitment and retention.”

McKinney wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I enjoy the reward of seeing something good happen, and this organization (the Indiana Chamber) is a facilitator in that,” he says. “And, it’s nice to know that I’ve had input in that. It’s been very rewarding.”

Also recognized as an Indiana Chamber Volunteer of the Year at the 12th annual event: Chris LaMothe, president of Daleville-based Sherry Laboratories; and Brian McDermott, shareholder at Indianapolis-based Ogletree Deakins law firm. In addition, Unified Group Services, Inc. of Anderson was named 2011 Small Business of the Year.

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