Six Inducted into the Indiana County Business Hall of Fame

The Indiana County Business Hall of Fame celebrated its ninth annual induction banquet by having six new individuals join the prestigious group of inductees. The banquet, held on September 5 at the Indiana Country Club, celebrated individuals who have made or who are making a significant impact to the Indiana County Business Community. The Indiana County Business Hall of Fame committee annually selects 2 deceased inductees, 3 living inductees, and a Chairman’s Selection. The selections are made through nominations solicited throughout the business community followed by a voting process of all nominees. The six inductee’s are as follows:

• John Sutton, deceased,

Development of Indiana Normal School, which later became Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP);

• Heath Clark, deceased,

President of Rochester and Pittsburgh Coal Company;

• Ann Lezanic, deceased,

Original owner of 9th Street Deli;

• Bryan Force,

Owner of multiple business ventures including Force Incorporated, now East American Incorporated;

• T. Michael Price,

Current president of First Commonwealth Bank;

• Chairman’s Selection, Dana P. Henry, Former president of the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce and current Chief of Economic Development with the Indiana County Center for Economic Operations.

The Chairman’s Selection is typically an individual who made an impact on the business community of Indiana County without necessarily owning or working at a business within the County.

The 2024 inductees spanned a wide range of industries including education, energy, finance, and hospitality, representing businesses large and small.

The 2024 inductees spanned a wide range of industries including education, energy, finance, and hospitality, representing businesses large and small. John Sutton was the first inductee for his work in the development of Indiana Normal School, which later became Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP). Laurie Kuzneski, a member of the IUP Board of Trustees, accepting the nomination on Sutton’s behalf. 

Nominations for the 2025 class of the Indiana County Business Hall of Fame are now being accepted.  Interested individuals can retrieve the form at www.indianacountychamber.us and can fill it out for an individual, living or deceased, who is felt to have made a significant impact to the Indiana County business community.