“When I think of Larry Evans, I think of the Rock of Gibraltar—rock solid and always there,”
MERRILLVILLE — The Lakeshore Public Media board of directors gathered at Gamba in Merrillville on October 26 to honor one of its long-time board members Larry G. Evans for his service to the station. Evans stepped down from board service in December of 2020 and the following month Lakeshore’s board granted him Board Member Emeritus status, but an in-person celebration had to be postponed due to the pandemic.
Fellow board member, Calvin Bellamy said, “When I think of Larry Evans, I think of the Rock of Gibraltar—rock solid and always there. I think of Chief Justice John Marshall.”
Evans is a partner at the law firm of Hoeppner, Wagner, and Evans in Valparaiso/Merrillville. His legal practice focuses on labor and employment law and complex commercial litigation. Evans was recognized by Best Lawyers with “Lawyer of the Year” in different areas from 2013-2016 and again in 2020 and 2022, and has been named one of “The Best Lawyers in America.”
Evans served 30 years on the Lakeshore board and even hosted a local talk show early in the station’s early years. Over his many years of service, he has guided Lakeshore serving as board chair as well as in many other leadership positions, and he was also crucial to the acquisition of the radio station that would become Lakeshore Public Radio.
“It has been so rewarding to have served on the board all these many years and to have seen firsthand the growth from the fledgling Channel 56 in the 90s with just one channel to what is now both Lakeshore PBS and Lakeshore Public Radio,” Evans said. “All of this tremendous growth was made possible by the generous support of our community.”
As an emeritus board member, Evans will remain on the board roster to be pressed into service as necessary. Evans’ legacy continues with his son Eric who now serves on Lakeshore’s board.
“Despite the many changes in technology over these 30 years of my service on the board, one thing has remained constant – the need for communication to the community from local sources, which is provided on a daily basis by Lakeshore PBS and Lakeshore Public Radio,” Evans said.
Lakeshore Public Media has been a public broadcasting entity based in Northwest Indiana for nearly 35 years. Their mission is to enrich the lives of Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana residents through lifelong learning, the celebration of human diversity, and engagement in civic concerns. For more information about Lakeshore PBS and Lakeshore Public Radio, visit LakeshorePublicMedia.org.
