BOTKINS — A man who has given his time, talent and money to improving the lives of those living in Shelby County received the Sidney-Shelby County Chamber of Commerce’s Zenith Award Thursday night.

Rudy Keister was named the latest winner of the chamber’s highest award presented to a community member. The annual dinner was held at the Palazzo in Botkins.

“Tonight I want to hone in on one of those special people,” said Devin Beer, Freshway Foods president and CEO, while talking about Keister. “Someone who has made Sidney and Shelby County their home, their place of business and the focal point of their family, friends, and relationships. One of Shelby County’s people assets that is helping to make a significant difference in our community. It is time to introduce you to one of those torchbearers, who certainly deserves our accolades and recognition.

“Our recipient has committed their professional career to serving both individuals and companies in our community. You will not find anyone with greater integrity and honesty in their approach to life and service,” said Beer.

“Keister has served on many boards, including many not-for-profit boards. He was not just on boards but was active on those boards. As one of the letters of support stated, ‘it’s not just the quantity of time – it’s the quality of time this person gives to the organizations they support.’

“This person didn’t just ceremonially lead the group, this person took action. This person dove in, got their hands dirty and was at the ground level working to improve outcomes and solve problems. Examples include meeting with organization-level staff, running an organization while it was in between leaders, interviewing and onboarding new personnel, and volunteering time outside of board room or committee meetings. It is one thing to be elected to these boards and attend meetings. It is quite another to throw your heart and soul behind the mission of the organization and to devote the necessary time and resources to support the mission of that organization in our community,” Beer concluded.

“I know it will be difficult for most of you to believe, but I am somewhat at a loss for words. But there’s a number of people I would like to thank this evening,” Keister said after being presented the award. “First of all, I’d like to thank all of you in this room. This is what makes Shelby County; this is what makes Sidney move. You look at all of these assets and all of these accolades that we’ve had tonight. It’s the people in this room that define that, and by all of you showing up and participating, that’s what makes the difference.

“I’d like to thank the chamber of commerce for actually considering me; thank you, I appreciate it. I’d like to thank some of my contemporaries in the room, that grew up with me through this process. I’m a Sidney boy; didn’t grow up here but spent most of my life here, so Devon, Tom, Tom Milligan, Mike Lochard, all of you that we’ve grown up together and been through this process, I appreciate it.

“I’d also like to thank the people I work with. Josh Ross, congratulations tonight. One thing that Josh and anyone else in our organization would tell you, once you’re hired into our organization one of the first things that we tell everyone, you will volunteer. If you don’t, you won’t be part of our organization. You will volunteer. So the Ruese group, thank you so much for allowing me the time, because I know I take a lot of time out of the office to do the things that I love.

“Three other people I’d like to thank. First of all, Ralph and Clara Keister, the people that guided me to all that I’ve done. To the service, they’ve been a beacon throughout my entire formative years. They have been the people that said, ‘you will serve, and you will serve your community, and you will be humbled doing that.’ So thank you for that.

“And last but not least, my lovely wife Rhonda, who’s had to put up with a lot of luncheons, nights where I haven’t been home, been participating in different things, and fortunately enough, I got her in the bug and now she’s participating, so she understands the importance and I can’t say this enough: we believe in our community. Sidney and Shelby County are everything to us, and everything we do is for the betterment of that. I can’t say any more tonight, I just want to thank all of you for this, and it’s important that we’re all here this evening, and hopefully the next person up here has that same feeling,” Keister concluded.

Keister’s family members in attendance at the event included wife Rhonda Keister, mom Clara Keister, sister Christine Douglas, niece Grace Coley, great-niece Amelia Coley and dad Ralph Keister. Ralph was the Zenith Award recipient in 2001.

Keister is the owner of Ruese Insurance Agency, which has offices in Sidney, Piqua and Fort Loramie. He received letters of support for his nomination from Beer, Marion Spicer, executive director of the Community Foundation of Shelby County, and Ed Thomas, retired CEO of the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA.

Keister has been a board member of Big Brothers/Big Sisters and was also a Big Brother; was a board member of Habitat for Humanity, Gateway Arts Council, West Ohio Development Council, S & H Products, city of Sidney Income Tax Board of Appeals; board member and chair of the Sidney-Shelby Chamber of Commerce, board member and chair of Wilson Health, board member and president of Raise the Roof for the Arts, board member and chair of the Community Foundation of Shelby County, committee member and chair of Sidney City School’s Hall of Honor, board member, president, national assembly delegate, foundation board member and Triangle of Honor winner of the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA, board member, president, and lieutenant governor of Division 3 with Sidney Noon Kiwanis Club.