Four Who Make a Difference Serving Michiana

When the Michiana 40 Under 40 were announced this year, Holy Cross College found four former students, on the list: Mark Macheca, Manette Tepe, Travis J. Hamel, and Hodge Patel.

Mark Macheca, husband and father to three little boys, is the president of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s northern Indiana branch and works for Make a Difference Michiana. This is an organization that helps connect resources to non-profit organizations. His company donates office furnishings to non-profit organizations, and since he has been there, his company has donated nearly $250,000 worth of furniture to organizations like Hope Rescue Mission.

Manette Tepe is a licensed architect and interior designer. She graduated from the Notre Dame School of Architecture in 1993 and did an extended study at the Prince of Whales Institute of Architecture. She donates her services to organization who need design like St. Anthony’s Parish. Tepe co-chaired a year-long playground project for them, as well as volunteered her services to the church, the Family and Children’s Center, and Christ Child. She is also a member of the design technology committee at Ivy Tech State College. She is known for her interest in creating trails and bike paths, schools in subdivisions, and overall ‘traditional’ neighborhoods. “It’s my generation of parents that are forgetting about how we grew up,” she says, “I’d like to see more kids riding their bicycles, more people walking.”

Travis J. Hamel is a young entrepreneur who is “willing to try anything.” He started a catering business out of the kitchen of his family’s restaurant, Holly’s Landing Restaurant, now known as Club Landing. Through the renovation of Hans House restaurant, he created The Landing banquet facility. His friends helped him with the renovations and he booked his first event before the project was even completed. Recently, Hamel has been giving back to the community by hosting events like the Marian High School auction and Right to Life activities.

Hodge Patel believes that politics is about helping others, and works towards this every day as district director for U.S. Rep. Joe Donnelly. It is his job to help Donnelly meet individuals’ needs, “Some people look at the big picture, but I look at the small picture. When someone contacts the district office it’s because they need something. They come to Joe Donnelly to ask for help.” Additionally, Patel volunteers his time at the Center for the Homeless, the Bend Area Service/Sports/Social Club, Young Professionals Networking, and Rotary Club of South Bend. “I always want people to walk away from a meeting with me thinking it was positive; that they know I am always open to having a discussion.”