Spring 2012 - Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly Magazine

Business ProfileSalute to BusinessSuccess isn’t just a matterof sales and profits.These standouts are committedto helping theircommunities succeed, too.by Bob KronemyerInvesting generous time and creativeresources to help maketheir community a better placeto work and live is a common threadamong the six major winners of the“Salute to Business” competition,sponsored by The Chamber of Commerceof St. Joseph County. Recipientswere honored in February at aluncheon at the Century Center indowntown South Bend.“All of the winners have a tremendousability to recognize needs inthe community and a willingnessand a real desire to be helpful,” saysPaul Laskowski, executive vice presidentof the chamber. “They have allstepped up and become involved incommunity boards and other areasof leadership. They truly want tohelp and use whatever skills and talentsthey have toward that end.”Greg Downes, recipient of the W.Scott Miller Distinguished BusinessLeader of the Year, has been withNEW JOBS Bipin Doshi,president of economic impactwinner Schafer Gear Works.Gibson Insurance Group in SouthBend since 1980. “We have a tremendousculture that has been builtup over a long period of time andis based very strongly on our corevalues,” says Downes, who currentlyserves as chairman of the board.“Our No. 1 value is the clients comefirst. We literally live and breathethat every day.”The company’s second core valueis that integrity matters. “Integritydictates the way we behave professionallyand otherwise,” Downesstresses.He is a graduate of the Universityof Notre Dame and was presidentand CEO of Gibson Insurancefrom 2000 to 2011. Downes also hasa long and distinguished involvementwith United Way. “It takesa little bit from a large number ofpeople to make a big difference.At United Way, we connect peoplewith resources,” explains Downes,who is chairman of the United Wayof St. Joseph County board and iscampaign chair of the 2012 UnitedWay drive. “I think to be an activeparticipant in the communities inwhich you do business, you have to36 NORTHWEST INDIANA BUSINESS QUARTERLY SpRINg–SUmmER 2012