Tim Neal, the president of Twin Lakes-based Allied Plastics, has been named the Business Leader of the Year by the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, as part of KABA’s annual Ovation Awards program.

The Ovation Awards winners will be recognized at a banquet event on Feb. 5, 2026, at the University of Wisconsin – Parkside Student Center Ballroom. BizTimes Media is the media sponsor for the event.

Allied Plastics is a manufacturer of custom vacuum formed plastic components for a variety of industries including agriculture equipment, home furnishings, and outdoor equipment.

Neal and Steve Wieder founded Allied Plastics in 1995. Over the years the company has grown and now has more than 320 employees. In 2022, the company was acquired by West Des Moines, Iowa-based All-State Industries Inc. Neal continues to lead the company under the All-State platform.

Other Ovation Award winners:

Community Impact Award:

Brad Nelson, vice president, Bane-Nelson, Inc.

Brian Nelson is the third-generation leader at Bane-Nelson, Inc., a family-owned construction firm based in Kenosha. After watching an episode of the show “Returning the Favor with Mike Rowe,” which featured Sleep in Heavenly Peace, a nonprofit organization that provides new bunk beds to children lacking a safe and comfortable sleeping space, Nelson heard that someone was starting a local chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace in Racine and Kenosha and offered Bane-Nelson’s shops as a build-day location.

Since then, the Racine and Kenosha Sleep in Heavenly Peace chapter has delivered over 2,700 beds to children in need. Nelson has become co-president of the organization’s Racine and Kenosha chapter and he has joined its national build team traveling across the country helping at major build events.

Nelson is also a Buildings and Grounds committee member for the Kemper Center; a volunteer and equipment provider for the Kenosha Dream Playground; and an assistant pack Leader and den leader for the Boy Scouts of America.

Future 5 Awards:

• Maggie Campbell, director of strategic initiatives, Building Our Future. Since joining Building Our Future (BOF) in 2024, Campbell has worked to bring together cross-sector partners – including educators, early childhood providers, parents, businesses, healthcare systems, and nonprofits – to advance BOF’s mission of ensuring every child succeeds in school and life, regardless of zip code or circumstance. She oversees two outcome areas: Kindergarten Readiness and Early Grade Reading, and contributes as the team’s grant writer and lead for communications, website design, and marketing.
• Nolan Flynn, marketing director, LaMacchia Travel. Nolan began working at LaMacchia when he was just 15, working after school doing a wide variety of tasks. Thirteen years later, with a college degree from UW-Parkside under his belt, he is leading a major shift in the way LaMacchia markets travel planning to the community. He has convinced the agency owners, Tom and Monica Karnes, to embrace a new world of travel and technology to make it easier for people to connect with LaMacchia and plan trips to destinations around the world.
• Sarah Howard, executive director, Visit Pleasant Prairie. Howard joined Visit Pleasant Prairie during its first year of operation. The new organization launched in 2018 as the official destination development and marketing organization for the Village of Pleasant Prairie. Initially hired in a marketing role, Sarah was promoted to executive director – a position she has held for more than three years. Sarah has built the overall market strategy and brand for Visit Pleasant Prairie. She has executed several signature events including Holiday Lights tours, Harvest Fest, Paint at the Lake, and the VPP Egg Hunt. Sarah also developed a beer garden and farmers’ market on the shores of Lake Andrea. In addition to her role at Visit Pleasant Prairie, she has also been involved with several boards and organizations including Destinations International, the KAC, Gateway Technical College, Unity Coalition of Kenosha, the Kenosha Area Business Alliance, and the Young Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago.
• Savannah Meyers, community development educator, Extension Kenosha County, UW-Madison. Meyers works in a multitude of different programming areas including broadband, entrepreneurship, community placemaking and vitality, and housing. She connects the resources of the university to Kenosha County by identifying community needs and collaborating closely with community partners. She has also played a role on the Kenosha County Housing Task Force. She has assisted in the coordination and presentation of information for task force meetings and has facilitated many of the smaller working group meetings as well. Meyers is also on the steering committee for the young professionals’ group Future Leaders in Kenosha (FLIK), where she also assists with their social media presence. She also serves on the Downtown Kenosha BID Outreach and Retention committee.
• Dan and Nick Tenuta, co-managers, Tenuta’s Delicatessen & Liquors. The brothers represent the fourth generation behind Tenuta’s Delicatessen & Liquors. In 2021, they partnered with Dooley & Associates to modernize the store’s digital presence, launching an updated website, introducing regular online specials, and expanding into platforms like TikTok and Instagram reels. Dan oversees food ordering and inventory management, expanding product offerings while maintaining the traditional favorites that define the Tenuta’s experience. Nick manages the liquor, wine, and beer departments, coordinates with more than 40 vendors, and leads cross-promotional partnerships with other local businesses. The brothers actively support youth organizations, including the YMCA and Boys & Girls Club, contribute to school fundraisers and athletic programs, and provide ongoing donations to the Shalom Center. Their involvement extends to local cultural institutions as well, such as the Italian American Club and the annual Italian Fest.

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