Congratulations To Our 2022 Luminary Award Recipients!
Congratulations to all of our outstanding nominees for the Shining Star and Visionary Awards for our annual Luminary Awards Luncheon held on September 8, 2022! It was wonderful to gather together with everyone as we honored the nine individuals nominated by their peers because of their excellence in their work environment and the community.
This year’s Shining Star Award nominees were:
Katee Brown, Penn Harris Hotel
Stacy Durbin, Pennian Bank
Sarah Hornberger, Members 1st Federal Credit Union
Leigh-Ann Reitze, UPMC in Central PA
This year’s Visionary Award nominees were:
Denise S. Barker, CB Construction Services, Inc.
Jenny Gallagher Blom, The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region
Samantha Krepps, Cumberland County
Annette C. Myers, Integrated Land Transfer, LLC
MaryAnne Reynolds, Gift CPAs
Voted on in a blind review and voting process, Leigh-Ann Reitze of UPMC in Central PA was the recipient of the Shining Star Award and Jenny Gallagher Blom of The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region was the recipient of the Visionary Award. Leigh-Ann chose Leadership Harrisburg Area and Jenny chose The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region as the two nonprofit Chamber members to receive a portion of the proceeds from the event.
Shining Star Award Recipient
Leigh-Ann Reitze, UPMC in Central PA
As Senior Events Planner at UPMC in Central Pa, Leigh-Ann manages logistics for UPMC Central Pa. and internal events. She works with local corporate partners such as the Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, etc. She also manages the community giving process for UPMC. Leigh-Ann oversees community relations and events, supports strategic relationships, and coordinates volunteers for numerous events. She is responsible for ensuring that participation runs smoothly and that UPMC is represented well within the community and with the organizations it supports. She is responsible for open houses, chamber events, and many other activities, ensuring that attendees are thoroughly engaged. Leigh-Ann coordinates more than 100 community events each year. She also works with many local charities outside of work. Leigh-Ann is focused on community outreach, business, and personal philanthropy efforts. She holds others to high standards, is generous and motivational, brings a genuine enthusiasm to every task, and encourages those around her to achieve their best.
Visionary Award Recipient
Jenny Gallagher Blom, The Salvation Army Harrisburg Capital City Region
Jenny is a graduate of Messiah College with more than 20 years of experience in human services, community, and organizational development, leadership as well as youth, community engagement, nutrition, and self-sufficiency education programs, including over 15 years with The Salvation Army Harrisburg. Jenny has overseen many different facets of program development, evaluation, implementation, and supervision. Jenny was instrumental in the formulation of the entire education and enrichment programs and the curriculum currently being provided. Jenny also has extensive experience in self-sufficiency initiatives that focus on life coaching, mentoring, and education to move clients from dependence toward greater self-sufficiency. Jenny is passionate about meeting current community needs and has developed strategic partnerships that expand the impact of The Salvation Army. Jenny secured a Pennsylvania Department of Education 21st Community Learning Center Grant to expand youth programs in the underserved Steelton-Highspire School District. She is ultimately responsible for the supervision of all program personnel, activities, budgets, operations, and outcomes. Programs and outcomes reporting developed by Jenny for The Salvation Army have been continually recognized by community partners as a model for nonprofit reporting. Jenny has also developed and led several strategic organizational changes that strengthened the holistic Mission of The Salvation Army to the varied programs and services offered in Harrisburg today. Jenny invested countless hours in the planning and development of The Salvation Army’s facility project, including organizing opportunities for community input, systems development, facility use design, and ultimately the move and transition of all programs and operations into the new Worship and Service Center in September of 2019. Jenny is currently pursuing a graduate degree at Messiah University in the school of Business and Leadership. Jenny was recognized as a Women of Influence in 2021 as well as honored by the Harrisburg Civic Club as an Unsung Hero in 2020 because of her service through the Pandemic. Jenny is a founding board member of the PA STEAM Academy Charter School presently serving as the Vice President. Jenny is a member of the Foundation for Enhancing Communities Dream Team as well as a volunteer coach for the Cedar Cliff Youth Basketball League for the past four years. Jenny has been married to David for over 18 years and has two sons, Will and Asher.
Thank you to Highmark/Penn State Health, Klock Entertainment, The Carlisle Group/SPAtacular Escapes, Susquehanna Style, and Wells Fargo Advisors for their generous sponsorships to make this event possible. In addition, we would like to thank our Supporting Sponsor: Roger That Photography who took the amazing headshots of all the nominees along with Alicia Richards of abc27 for emceeing the event.
Keep an eye out for when we open the 2023 Luminary Award Nominations in the Spring of 2023!