IHC Staff and Volunteer Leaders were recognized with awards for their extraordinary efforts to improve community health across Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Health Centers (IHC) volunteer leader Dr. Bernie Emkes was honored as the Volunteer of the Year at the Indiana Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) Annual Conference in Octubre. The award was presented during the Champions of Healthcare ceremony, which recognizes people and organizations across Indiana who show exceptional leadership and commitment to community health.
“These honors are a tremendous source of pride for IHC and reflect the dedication, leadership, compassion, and commitment to service that define our mission,” said Ann Lundy, Chief Executive Officer of Indiana Health Centers. “Being nominated and selected as this year’s winner is a meaningful recognition of the impact Dr. Emkes makes every day. It speaks volumes about who he is, the way he serves our patients and communities, and the difference his work makes at IHC. We are incredibly proud to have Dr. Emkes as part of our team.”
Dr. Bernie Emkes has dedicated an extraordinary 23 years to Indiana Health Centers (IHC), serving continuously on the Board since 2003. Originally from Seymour, Dr. Emkes was instrumental in helping IHC establish its presence in Jackson County and has served as Board Chair, bringing the perspective of a family medicine physician, educator, and health care leader to the organization. His commitment to IHC is unwavering, and his knowledge of health center operations, quality, managed care, and patient care has been invaluable to generations of board members.
As IHC’s longtime legal counsel, Tom Ruge, so perfectly described him: “The definition of stalwart is ‘loyal, reliable and hardworking’ and below the dictionary definition is a picture of Dr. Emkes. No health center board member does it better.”
That dedication has been demonstrated consistently for more than two decades. Dr. Emkes brings exceptional insight and intuition to every discussion, always seeking to get to the heart of an issue and move the organization forward.
The Champions of Healthcare awards recognize the kind of leadership that moves community health forward in Indiana. Having staff, volunteer, and advocacy leaders all recognized by the Indiana Primary Health Care Association in the same year reflects IHC’s efforts to expand access to high-quality, whole-person care across the state.
Dr. Bernie Emkes with the 2026 IPHCA Volunteer of the Year Award with Indiana Health Center’s Executive Leadership team.