DSA Winner Kenneth Lonnie and Ruth Cooper. (Photos by Susan Doherty)

By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Kenneth Lonnie Cooper was named the 2024 Distinguished Service Award winner at the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting held Friday at the Memorial Auditorium.

Other winners were:

•Bank of Commerce – Business of the Year. 

J.C. Long, President of the Bank of Commerce and his wife Mary.

•Shelby Weins – Young Professional of the Year. 

Shelby Weins

•Susan Doherty – Volunteer of the Year. 

Susan Doherty (Photo taken by Linda Metzen).

The theme for this year’s celebration was “Business is Blooming.” Past board member recognized were Erma Ratcliff, Nick Struble and Jan Grace. New board members installed were Casha Short, Silas Scott and Zach Cooper.

USA Connections was recognized as the premiere Wheat Festival sponsor for the third consecutive year.

The DSA award was presented with a 10-minute video produced by Danny Walker, which included testimony from last year’s DSA winners Jim Bales; past DSA winners Hankie Holefelder and Jack Potucek; and longtime employee Pat Ledesma.

Cooper opened his accounting firm, Coopers and Co. CPA and PAs, in 1992. He celebrated his 30th anniversary in 2022 with the following quote:

“This community, the people, the relationships is why I’ve stayed all these years. It’s been my honor to serve.”

Cooper is an avid bicyclist, a musician, a man of deep faith and a civil servant. He raised three children, all of whom graduated from Wellington High School.

He served as a board member of the Wellington Recreation Commission for years, was a past President of the Chamber of Commerce, and was the City of Wellington auditor.

Recently he cut out trees and brush and provided a mountain biking trail for avid cyclists in the area at Wellington Lake. He has traveled to many places across the United States as a bicyclist.

He is known as a great guitarist and may have one of the largest and most bountiful home gardens in Wellington.