Welch-Lackey Award

REGIONAL PLANNERS HONOR Roseann Marchetti

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission (SWMPC) has selected Cass County Commissioner Roseann Marchetti to be honored with the 2021 Welch-Lackey Leadership Award by the SWMPC Board during their meeting held on December 21, 2021. Berrien County Commissioner and SWMPC Chair, Teri Freehling presented the honor to Commissioner Marchetti. Commissioner Marchetti has been a trusted advocate and member of the SWMPC since 2013. She assumed the role of SWMPC Vice-Chair in 2020 and will take on the role of SWMPC Chair in 2022.

The SWMPC is the regional planning agency for Berrien, Cass, and Van Buren Counties and presents the Welch-Lackey Leadership Award each year in honor of former Commissioners George A. Welch and William F. Lackey. These men served the Commission in times of great personal difficulties, yet continued throughout to represent the spirit of public service and to further the goals of intergovernmental cooperation. Their contribution to the communities they served embodies the leadership qualities essential to the preservation of our citizen form of government. Board members vote using a ballot containing nominees of current members with exemplary qualities.

REGIONAL PLANNERS HONOR Teri Freehling

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission (SWMPC) has selected Teri Freehling to be honored with the 2020 Welch-Lackey Leadership Award by its Board via a remote meeting held on December 15, 2020. John Egelhaaf, Executive Director of the SWMPC presented the honor to Teri Freehling. In announcing the award, Egelhaaf commented, "Ms. Freehling has been a member of the SWMPC since 2016. She assumed the role of SWMPC Vice Chair in 2018 and has been SWMPC Chair since February of 2020. Her term as Chair has coincided with the emergence of COVID 19 and the need for virtual meetings. She has skillfully navigated the Commission through this new reality. In 2019-2020 she has been a significant driver of the SWMPC’s broadband work. She has maintained her dedication to the SWMPC in spite of profound personal tragedy.”

REGIONAL PLANNERS HONOR Don Hanson

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission (SWMPC) has selected Don Hanson to honor with the 2019 Welch-Lackey Leadership Award. At the December 17th 2019 meeting of the SWMPC Board, held at the Van Buren Conference Center, John Egelhaaf Executive Director of the SWMPC presented the honor to Don Hanson. In announcing the award, Egelhaaf commented, "Mr. Hanson has been a member of the SWMPC since 2007. He has been the Chairman of the SWMPC since 2018. He was instrumental in constructing the new 2018 SWMPC bylaws that made significant changes to the Commission structure. In spite of joint replacement surgery during his term as Chair he has not missed a meeting during his tenure.”

REGIONAL PLANNERS HONOR Leon Laylin

The Southwest Michigan Planning Commission (SWMPC) has selected Leon Laylin to honor with the 2018 Welch-Lackey Leadership Award. At the December 18th meeting of the SWMPC Board, held at the Van Buren Conference Center, John Egelhaaf Executive Director at SWMPC honored Leon Laylin with the Welch-Lackey Leadership Award. In announcing the award, Egelhaaf commented, "Mr. Laylin has served as SWMPC Mayor’s Alternate for the City of Dowagiac since 2015, and was a member of the SWMPC Bylaw Committee, helping redraft new SWMPC Bylaws. He serves on Dowagiac City Planning Commission and has been involved in the City’s Chamber of Commerce. Laylin is now retired, but was a business owner from 1961 through 2002.”

The SWMPC is the regional planning agency for Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties and presents the Welch-Lackey Leadership Award each year in honor of former Commissioners George A. Welch and William F. Lackey. These men served the Commission in times of great personal difficulties, yet continued throughout to represent the spirit of public service and to further the goals of intergovernmental cooperation. Their contribution to the communities they served embodies the leadership qualities essential to the preservation of our citizen form of government. Board members vote by secret ballot from nominees submitted by the SWMPC staff as members currently exemplifying such qualities.