Eberts honored with Forty Under 40

FORT WAYNE — Keirsten Eberts, vice president of online and international studies at Trine University, was selected to Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly’s 19th annual Forty Under 40.

The group was celebrated at a special event March 28 at Ceruti’s Summit Park Diamond Room, with more than 400 guests in attendance.

The 40 award recipients, who all had to be below age 40 by the date of the ceremony, were chosen from over 300 nominations sent in by the public. Nominees were judged on not only their work but also their community contributions.

A staff member at Trine since 2013, Eberts has served the university in roles with increasing responsibility, including enrollment specialist, senior director of the Angola Education Center, senior director of global partnerships and assistant vice president and dean of academics for TrineOnline.

She graduated from Trine University with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology in 2014 and a Master of Science in leadership in 2015.

Recipients included those aged 29-39 from northeast Indiana. They came from backgrounds that included the areas of entrepreneurship, nonprofits, academia, religious, city government, health care, marketing and tourism.

Moving forward

John Dortch, who retired after decades in human resources at Parkview Health, has authored three books, and now serves as president/CEO of both the Preston Joan Group and The Ink Spot newspaper, along with being a founding member of the Fort Wayne Black Chamber and founder of the Dream Center, served as keynote speaker.

“I want to congratulate all the Forty Under 40 for what you have accomplished in being here tonight. It’s not an easy job to do,” Dortch said.

He delivered the message of “moving forward” for both survival and growth.

“Dr. Martin Luther King had a statement, ‘If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward,’” Dortch said.

Even if you’ve made bad choices, been in bad relationships, or received a bad grade, “let it go” and keep moving forward, Dortch said. Don’t get hung up on woulda-coulda-shoulda, he said.

Dortch donated copies of one of his books and editions of The Ink Spot to each award recipient.

The night included a buffet dinner and an award presentation.