Spencer Chamber selects Zahn as Citizen of the Year McNeely Insurance named Business of the Year
The Spencer Chamber of Commerce named the 2025 Citizen and Business of the Year at its Music in the Park event on the evening of Aug. 20. Mary Zahn was selected as the Citizen of the Year while McNeely Insurance was named the Business of the Year. Both were selected for their commitment to the Spencer community, and their work behind the scenes to make the village a better place.
Zahn was chosen from among four candidates who had been nominated for the 2025 award: Sue Toufar, Terry Prust, and Mark Zimmerman, who was nominated posthumously for the honor. Zahn was nominated by three individuals for her work “behind the spotlight” to help the community.
“This person works behind the scenes, tirelessly, to better the village during and after events,” said Spencer Chamber of Commerce president Jeremy Carolfi. “They have been very active in beautifying Spencer with coordinating, planting, weeding, and watering.Theywereinstrumentalaspresident of the Spencer Women’s Club to direct funding for several projects and coordinating events such as the garden walk and the Tour of Homes. They also helped with raffles, food events, and with planning the stage and helping wherever needed for Spencerama, and helping clean up after events. Many extra hours are spent cleaning without pay so each event in the shelter and meeting room start with fresh bathrooms. They also volunteer for the LuCille Tack Center. This person may not be in the spotlight, but she gives a lot to help make events happen in Spencer.”
The 2025 Business of the Year was selected from four nominations: McNeely Insurance Agency, The Breakfast Nook, R & R Flooring and Furniture, and Kristi’s Kustom Takes. McNeely Insurance, with their team of Leslie, Paul, Jorie, and Beth, was selected from the nominees for the honor because of their work to invest in the community.
“[They] consistently demonstrate excellence in both customer service and community involvement,” said Carolfi. “This business is a family-owned company and has invested in our downtown area by taking an older building and transforming it into a beautiful welcoming office space. This commitment not only enhances this beautiful business but contributes to the revitalization of our community. They participate in local events such as the Spencerama Days Parade, Spencer Dairy Breakfast, and supporting numerous community organizations through donations. The office also serves as a location for the PTA to host drop-off and pick-up events.”
