Southern Indiana Business Report
JASPER — The Jasper Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting Nov. 9 included a Q&A session with Gov. Eric Holcomb and the presentation of the 2021 President’s Community Excellence Award to Dr. Dean Beckman by Kate Schwenk, president of organization.
“Dr. Beckman is a prime example of what service to the community is all about,” Jasper Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Nancy Eckerle told Southern Indiana Business Report. “His passion and love of people — and for the Jasper area — is outstanding. He involves his family in his community service endeavors and is proud of them. They are also very proud of him. The Jasper Chamber was pleased to present this award to Dr. Dean Beckman.”
Beckman’s nomination form, submitted by his daughter and fellow physician, Dr. Allie Beckman Sadowitz, details the Jasper native and 1977 Jasper graduate’s lifelong involvement in Boy Scouts, from earning the Eagle Scout award in 1973 through his volunteer work today; receiving the Presidential Commendation Award from Pres. Gerald Ford for saving the life of a fellow Jasper resident; his service as a member of the board of directors of Memorial Hospital; his commitment to serving as sports medicine physician for several local teams, which earned him a spot in the Indiana Football Hall of Fame; his work on the Dubois County AED program, which placed defibrillators around the city — one of which Beckman used to resuscitate a young girl who’d suffered cardiac arrest; his work with Special Olympics Indiana; and his service to Holy Family Catholic Church as a lector and eucharistic minister.
The original meeting date was in September but was moved to make Holcomb’s visit possible.