UNOH Announces Inaugural Alumni Entrepreneurship Award Recipients

The University of Northwestern Ohio is proud to announce the recipients of its inaugural Alumni Entrepreneurship Awards, recognizing graduates who have demonstrated exceptional innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurial success across a wide range of industries.

Five distinguished alumni will be honored on March 6, 2026, during Fuel the Future: UNOH Alumni Entrepreneurship Awards & Student Pitch Competition, a new signature campus event celebrating entrepreneurial achievement while inspiring the next generation of UNOH students.

The 2026 Alumni Entrepreneurship Award recipients are:

• Lenn Isaac
Diesel Technology, Class of 2014
Founder & CEO, Whitestone Fleet Service
• Brian Littlefield
Automotive High Performance, Class of 2010
Business – Specialized Studies, Class of 2012
Founding Partner, Co-Owner & Chief Product Officer, JOCKO FUEL
• Philip Rickard
Automotive Technology, Class of 1991
Founder & Owner, Lakeland Repair Services
• Eddie Saunders Jr.
Marketing, Class of 2013
Founder & Chief Empathy Officer, Speak Friend
• Chase Vance
Business Administration (Marketing), Class of 2016
MBA, Class of 2017
Owner, Essential Investment Properties, LLC

The Fuel the Future event will bring together alumni, students, faculty, and community partners for a full day of networking, panel discussions, a student pitch competition, and an awards luncheon at Racer Station on campus. The alumni winners will be recognized at 12:30 during the luncheon. The student pitch competition will give UNOH students the opportunity to present business ideas to alumni and industry leaders, gaining valuable feedback and mentorship.

Together, the Alumni Entrepreneurship Awards and Student Pitch Competition underscore UNOH’s commitment to experiential learning, innovation, and preparing students to lead and succeed in today’s evolving business landscape.

For more information about tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit: https://www.unoh.edu/offices/alumni/events.html