City-County Observer Announces “Person of the Year” Award
First Honoree: Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke
The City-County Observer is pleased to announce a new award that will be made annually to honor the “Person of the Year” in Greater Evansville.
The first honoree has been selected and it is none other than Evansville’s 3-term Mayor Lloyd Winnecke.
Winnecke was elected to the office of Mayor of Evansville in the fall of 2011 and assumed office in January of 2012.
His calm demeanor and collaborative style had been apparent throughout his career in banking and journalism. These basic personality traits have made Mayor Winnecke a pleasant person to be around and an effective communicator.
Then-candidate Winnecke promised to serve as Evansville’s Ambassador to the world and that is a role he has played effectively. It is Winnecke’s finely tuned voice that welcomes visitors to the Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) as they arrive in the baggage claim area.
Winnecke also made a commitment to energize Evansville’s downtown after years of decaying and many false starts by former Mayors. Today, downtown Evansville is becoming an energetic and distinct destination in the Tri-State with a growing population and an expanding array of retail establishments and professionals.Â
As a native Evansvillian, Mayor Winnecke has witnessed the demise of downtown Evansville that was accelerated when the Washington Square and Eastland Malls were opened on the East Side. When retail pulled out, people did too, leaving downtown Evansville as a shell of its former self. It was Winnecke’s diligence and calmly staying the course that finally brought people back to downtown Evansville to live. His steady hand on the plow finally seeded Downtown and Haynes Corner Evansville for sustainable prosperity.
Winnecke has also learned to let go of the past when it is appropriate to do so as has been exhibited in the demolition of some long-standing but obsolete buildings including the 420 Building that was the home of Old National Bank and the Petroleum Club for many decades. The reality has been apparent that some of the older buildings were functionally obsolete for years and Winnecke realized this and found a creative solution to clear the way for future developments on the valuable downtown lots.
One of the more endearing qualities of Mayor Winnecke is that he is a humble man and takes a joke very well, even when the joke is on him. In his early days as Mayor of Evansville, his enthusiasm and love for Evansville, the Arts, and its people did lead to some hilarious moments like the chicken fat video that was made to promote healthy living. Much fun was made of the video, and Winnecke took it all in stride poising himself to become the first Mayor of Evansville to truly reverse the decline of downtown Evansville in a sustainable way.
For his perseverance, kindness, and leadership during the covid crisis, take on the seemly impossible task of updating the multi-million water and sewer project.  medical school and Hotel  etc  etc  the City-County Observer is proud to announce that Mayor Lloyd Winnecke will receive the first Person of the Year Award at our annual awards banquet on September 16, 2021.
