2025 Citizen of the Year
Kay Brandt
Rockford Chamber of Commerce Announces 2025 Citizen of the Year: Kay Brandt
The Rockford Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce Kay Brandt as the recipient of the 2025 Rockford Citizen of the Year award. This honor recognizes Kay’s exceptional dedication, compassion, and service to the Rockford community over the course of many decades.
Kay has made a lasting impact through a wide range of volunteer efforts and leadership roles, including:
Leading “Grief Share” for the past six years, providing support to local individuals grieving the loss of loved ones
Organizing “Friends of Shane’s Park,” a volunteer group focused on beautifying the community park through weeding, mulching, planting, and regular clean-up efforts
Spearheading a renovation initiative to bring pickleball courts to Shane’s Park
Founding a community exercise group that meets weekly at the Rockford Library
Volunteering with the Kids Club program at Rockford United Methodist Church each Wednesday evening
Selflessly donating a kidney in 2015 to a local resident in need of a transplant
Teaching for 34 years in Parkway Local Schools, serving students across all three former buildings—Mendon, Rockford, and Willshire—as well as the current K-12 building
Serving multiple terms on the governance board at St. Paul Lutheran Church, Liberty Township
Kay and her husband, Alan Brandt, reside in Rockford and are proud parents to Ryan (Leah) Thompson, Kristi (Tom) Koop, Tyler (Lindsey) Thompson, and Jordan (Ashley) Thompson, and grandparents to 11 grandchildren.
The Rockford Chamber of Commerce congratulates Kay Brandt on this well-deserved recognition and thanks her for her continued commitment to serving others and strengthening the Rockford community.
Congratulations Kay !
Where it all began…
Beginning in 1974, the Rockford Chamber of Commerce has annually recognized as “Citizen of the Year” a person who has made significant community improvement, leadership, and service contributions to the Rockford area over a prolonged period. The purposes of this award are to honor deserving individuals, encourage community service and volunteerism, and generate positive publicity for the area. A committee consisting of the three former Citizens of the Year selects the candidates for this honor. The award is made as to the highlight of the annual Chamber of Commerce Banquet, held on the fourth Thursday of October.
Past Winners
1974 – Richard Sherrick
1975 – Vernon Winkler
1976 – Ralph Rhoades
1977 – Wesley Bigham
1978 – Robert Clay
1979 – Stanley Shellabarger
1980 – Dorothy Burtch
1981 – Larry Hopkins
1982 – Dan Henkle
1983 – Mary Lou Taylor
1984 – John Smith
1985 – Vivian Clay
1986 – Joan Hall
1987 – Marion Caywood
1988 – Bob Schumm
1989 – Susan Sherrick
1990 – Norm VanTilburg
1991 – Woody Davis
1992 – Deb Gibson
1993 – Barry Peel, Jr.
1994 – Bob Garman
1995 – Robert Ransbottom
1996 – Bill Now
1997 – Mike Riley
1998 – Bob Beerbower
1999 – Jeff Long
2000 – Rob Belna
2001 – Homer Hall
2002 – Susie Bollenbacher
2003 – Tom Williams
2004 – Martha Baltzell
2005 – LuAnn Sigler
2006 – Robert Thompson
2007 – Sandy Schaffner
2008 – Robert Haver
2009 – Dennis Hecht
2010 – Jerry Sell
2011 – Tom Rogers
2012 – Nancy Leighner
2013 – Mike Bruns
2014 – Ryan Sipe
2015 – Joyce Emans
2016 – Mike Schumm
2017 – Barb Pedroza
2018 – Steve Thompson
2019 – Lisa Kuhn
2020 – Twyla Hayes
2021 – Robert Reed Shaffer
2022 – Karla Butler
2023 – Shelly Muhlenkamp
2024 – Amy Noll
2025 – Kay Brandt
