Mark Weaver honored posthumously for his undeniable impact

Mark Weaver honored posthumously for his undeniable impact
Dave Mast

The family of Mark Weaver accepted the Holmes County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously for Mark Weaver.

                        

The Holmes County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau’s Lifetime Achievement Award is presented at the annual banquet to those who have impacted the county in many ways.

This year the chamber made the award posthumously to a beacon of light in the county, Mark Weaver, owner of Ivan Weaver Construction in Fredericksburg.

Weaver, 61, passed away Oct. 2 of last year after a long battle with cancer in which he was diagnosed in 2017.

But even that diagnosis didn’t stop Weaver from pursuing his passion, not only for building beautiful structures, but also for his community and family, where he continued to give relentlessly and selflessly to others.

Holmes County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau Executive Director Tiffany Gerber said Weaver exemplified the hardworking, selfless, committed people of Holmes County.

Gerber said one of her biggest regrets has been not being able to connect with some of the area leaders since taking over the director’s role not long ago, and this was one person she would have loved to have gotten to know better.

Vaughn Troyer, chamber board member, was honored to present the Lifetime Achievement Award to the Weaver family.

He said Weaver’s impact on the county through the structures his company built and the ways he supported many entities in the community showed his selfless character and willingness to give to others.

“I know there was so much respect for Mark,” Troyer said.

In reviewing the nominees for the Lifetime Achievement Award, Troyer said one of the members of the selection committee made a profound statement that summed up the entire committee’s thoughts on the award.

“This person said you can look anywhere in Holmes County and see a project that Mark Weaver touched in some way,” Troyer said. “Mark’s integral contributions in the construction field could fill a biography that would inspire future leaders to work hard, to support their community, and to place family and faith above all else.”

Troyer said to list every organization Weaver supported would be a monumental task, but he said some of those endeavors included Pure Gift of God, local fire departments, the community of Fredericksburg, local schools, and Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Needy initiative.

In 2021 Weaver and Ivan Weaver Construction were honored as the recipient of the No. 1 Builder of the Year by Chief Buildings, and the company had previously been named Holmes County Chamber Large Business of the Year in 2017 while Fredericksburg honored him this year for all the ways he supported the community.

Many of the Weaver family members were on hand to celebrate and honor Weaver’s legacy during the award ceremony, and Troyer said Weaver’s leadership as president of the company followed many of the attributes set forth by his father Ivan Weaver.

“Mark followed his father Ivan and was proud that his sons Shayne and Cody and his son-in-law Drew are all part of the company today, and they will be shaping its future,” Troyer said.

Troyer said the fact that Weaver and the company were featured in Peter Graham Dunn’s book, “Amish Economics,” a book that features Amish-based companies throughout Wayne and Holmes that have forged a path in business that soars beyond this area’s borders, is evidence of Weaver’s ability to lead Ivan Weaver Construction, with Weaver taking over as president in 1990 after his father had done it for decades prior to that.

Troyer said it is difficult to drive around this area and not see a building the Weavers didn’t have a hand in building, and the company has erected some monumental buildings including Superb Industries in Sugarcreek, Dutchman Hospitality and the Carlisle Village Inn, where the banquet was taking place. Others include ProVia, Guggisburg Cheese, Premier Metals, Little Cottage Company, NewPointe Church, Commercial & Savings Bank in Millersburg, Keim in Charm, Sheiyah Market and more.

“Fredericksburg is a better place because of Mark and the Weaver family,” Troyer said. “I wish Mark could be here to receive this in person, and we are really pleased to honor Mark with the award.”

Accepting the award on behalf of his father was Shayne Weaver, who thanked the Hummel Group for sponsoring the award as well as the chamber.

“It’s a real honor to accept this award on behalf of Dad,” Weaver said. “I’d have to imagine right now he’d be saying what did I do to deserve this. He always wanted to help out others in any way he could but never wanted to take any credit for himself. He was truly a man with an abundance of skills and knowledge, especially on the construction end. Thanks to the hard work from Grandpa and Dad, what started out as a couple-man crew in a pickup truck in 1970 has turned into the large business that we have today.

“We are excited and honored to carry on the tradition and legacy that was started 53 years ago and to continue to provide top-quality commercial buildings for this community.”


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