I don’t know about you, but starting the workday at 5:30 a.m. isn’t typical for me. I know it’s shameful, but that snooze button on the alarm is both friend and foe in the wee morning hours. Awaking earlier than usual for a drive to Wabash (for an early morning appointment and subsequent engagements), however, was more than worth it.

What brought me there were interviews for the community focus package of BizVoice®. One of the people I met was Richard Ford, a Wabash-born philanthropist whose contributions to the arts and historic preservation have made an impact locally, nationally and beyond. He treated me to a downtown tour of Wabash to see various revitalization projects, many of which he is leading.

Highlights included the Dr. James Ford Historic Home (think Civil War and a physician’s practice), the Wabash County Historical Museum and the Honeywell Center (you would be hard-pressed to find facilities the quality of these two in similar-sized communities around the country).

Read the article about Richard Ford to see how he is helping shape Wabash’s future.