Six business leaders will be inducted into the Junior Achievement's business hall of fame

RICHMOND, Ind. — Five local businessmen and a businesswoman will be joining an elite club come next March.

Junior Achievement of OKI Partners in Eastern Indiana announced that it will induct six people into the 2024 Eastern Indiana Business Hall of Fame at 6 p.m. March 14 at Forest Hills Country Club, the group announced Monday in a news release.

The six business leaders are: Verne Clingenpeel (aka Mr. C), retired from First Bank Richmond, Bob, Dan and Phil Dickman of BSN Sports in Richmond and Kent and Paula Reineking of Kent's Harbor, Inc. in Liberty.

They were chosen "by a selection committee of business and community leaders, independent of Junior Achievement," according to the release.

The laureates will be inducted during the dinner and ceremony and will join 81 other men and women who have been inducted since its founding in 1991, making next year's the 33rd annual event.

"Since 1991, Junior Achievement of Eastern Indiana Business Hall of Fame has honored the most distinguished businessmen and women for their outstanding contributions to free enterprise and the promise of a better, stronger society," the release stated.

"JA envisions a world in which young people have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities," the news release stated. "JA educates and inspires young people to succeed in a global economy through providing free JA programming to local schools on the topics of financial literacy, career and workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship.

"JA of Eastern Indiana serves the counties of Wayne, Fayette, Franklin, Union, Ripley, Dearborn, and Ohio impacting nearly 4,000 students each year."

This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: 2024 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame inductees announced