Dr. Sue Ellspermann and Herbert E. Thyen inducted as 2025 laureates, celebrating leadership and community impact
Junior Achievement Honors Business Leaders at 10th Annual Dubois County Hall of Fame Breakfast
On Thursday, Junior Achievement of Dubois County celebrated its 10th annual Business Hall of Fame Breakfast, where Dr. Sue Ellspermann and the late Herbert E. Thyen were honored as the 2025 laureates.
The event, held at the Huntingburg Event Center, honors individuals in Dubois County who have made a positive impact on the area through their leadership, innovation, and community service.
“Junior Achievement and the Laureate Selection Committee are privileged and honored to recognize the amazing leaders who have shaped this region, this county, this world for generations,” says Marcia Forston, President of Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana.
Christian Blome, president of the Being for Others Health and Wellness Foundation and moderator of the Selection Committee, explained the rigorous process for selecting laureates. The committee, comprised of nearly 25 past laureates and community leaders, reviews nominations before making their selections.
Herbert Thyen, honored posthumously as the historical laureate, helped transform The Jasper Corporation into a global enterprise, now known as Kimball International. His son Jim Thyen accepted the award on his and the family’s behalf.
“Dad was a man whose legacy of leadership, innovation and generosity continues to inspire generations,” Thyen said. “He believed deeply in the power of young people to shape our future.”
Thyen described his father as someone who understood that success isn’t measured solely by financial gain but by “the opportunities we create for others, the lessons we pass down, the doors we open, and the encouragement we give those willing to work hard and dream big.”
Thyen noted that among all his father’s accomplishments, his greatest pride was in his family, the community, and the young minds he helped cultivate along the way.
He told the audience that the advice his dad always offered him was to “never settle for good enough, push yourself to be better than you were yesterday. Learn from every experience and when challenges arise, meet them with determination. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and always, always seek to lift others up as you climb.”
“He would be very proud to share this recognition with Sue Ellspermann,” Thyen added. “A woman emulating similar character, values, personal beliefs and aspirations.”
Read more about Herbert E. Thyen here.
Dr. Sue Ellspermann, president of Ivy Tech Community College and former Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, was recognized as the active laureate. Her career spans roles as an industrial engineer, entrepreneur, politician, and education leader.
“My greatest advice to young people is if you have two choices, take the harder path,” Ellspermann said in her acceptance speech. “And if someone opens a door for you, walk through it.”
Ellspermann credits her father, Thomas Boeglin, who owned Boeglin’s Jewelry store in Ferdinand, with teaching her valuable business principles. “Dad would have been proud of today, and I’m really here because of him,” she said. “He taught us that you don’t close until the last customer leaves. If you aren’t busy, find something to do and sometimes that meant cleaning the restrooms in the back.”
Along with these lessons to work hard, her father instilled confidence in her by allowing her to participate in operating the family business. She was brought into conversations about the business, sales and merchandising, and oversaw the business while he and her mother went overseas to visit family.
He supported her decision to pursue engineering as a career and continued to encourage her pursuits throughout her life.
She also acknowledged many mentors, including Jim Thyen, Sister Catherine Huber, and Hank Menke, for their guidance throughout her career.
“Jim, you were my mentor before you knew you were a mentor,” Ellspermann told Thyen. “For more than a decade, I trained at Kimball with creative problem solving.”
Ellspermann, who plans to retire in two months after more than 50 years in the workforce, expressed gratitude to her husband Jim Mehling for supporting her career choices.
“No other person would have allowed me this latitude to explore my potential and make a difference,” she said.
Learn more about Dr. Ellspermann here.
The event highlights Junior Achievement’s mission to prepare young people for success through programs focused on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship.
Along with the new Hall of Fame Laureates, the event also recognizes three outstanding high school seniors who received Junior Achievement scholarships. Ella Hopf from Forest Park High School won first place, Leo Widoff from Forest Park took second, and Bella Beckman from Northeast Dubois High School earned third place.
Hopf, addressing the audience, shared how Junior Achievement prepared her for college life through lessons on consumer protection, cybersecurity, and financial literacy.
“The Junior Achievement program has been incredibly helpful to me in preparing for my future,” Hopf said. “I believe that Junior Achievement is beneficial because it teaches students the necessary skills to succeed financially as they enter their adult lives.”
“We envision a world where young people have the skill set and mindset to build thriving communities,” stated a Junior Achievement video shown during the breakfast. “It starts with one change maker. It can be a volunteer, an educator or a supporter.”
The organization’s programs are integrated into school curricula during the day, eliminating barriers to participation and ensuring that all students have access to these valuable learning experiences.
Dubois County has the highest participation rate among all the counties in the southwestern region.
Forston told the crowd that since 2008, Junior Achievement in Dubois County has served 49,732 students through 2,225 classes, with volunteers contributing 340,779 hours of their time.
