Pick Heaters wins West Bend Chamber Legacy of Excellence Award

Pick Heaters, Inc. received the West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce’s Legacy of Excellence Award on Oct. 27, 2026, honoring the company’s manufacturing record and long-running support for community institutions in West Bend, Wisconsin. The recognition highlights how the family-owned business has tied industrial growth to local philanthropy across arts, education, healthcare, recreation and youth programs.

Why it matters: - The award recognizes a West Bend manufacturer that has paired long-term industrial production with visible local giving. - Pick Heaters’ support has reached arts organizations, schools, healthcare providers, animal welfare groups and recreation projects. - The honor underscores how local employers can shape both a regional economy and community life over generations.

What happened: - The West Bend Area Chamber of Commerce gave Pick Heaters, Inc. its Legacy of Excellence Award. - The recognition was announced Oct. 27, 2026, in West Bend, Wisconsin. - The award honors the company’s commitment to excellence, community involvement and contributions to the West Bend area. - Mark Brueggemann, president of Pick Heaters, said the award recognizes both the company’s history and the importance of giving back to the community.

The details: - Pick Heaters has roots in West Bend dating back to 1925. - The company was established in 1968. - The Pick Heater has been manufactured continuously since 1945. - Pick Heaters celebrated 80 years of producing direct steam injection heating systems in 2025. - Pick Heaters and owner Prudence Pick Hway have supported multiple West Bend organizations and initiatives. - The company was a major contributor to the Museum of Wisconsin Art, which opened in 2013 and draws more than 200,000 visitors annually. - Pick Heaters made a major contribution to the renovation of the Silver Lining Arts Center at West Bend High Schools. - The company sponsors West Bend COLUMNS, which provides scholarships to local high school students. - In 1991, Prudence Pick Hway established the Nancy and Alan Pick Award for outstanding senior female athletes at West Bend East and West High Schools. - Prudence Pick Hway also funds the Alan Pick Evans Scholarship for local caddies at West Bend Country Club. - Pick Heaters served as presenting sponsor of the Above & Beyond fundraiser benefiting the Cancer Center at Froedtert West Bend Hospital. - The company has long sponsored the Washington County Humane Society and most recently supported its “Transfur Van,” which transports animals. - Prudence Pick Hway led fundraising for the $2.1 million renovation of Carl M. Kuss Memorial Field at Regner Park. - The family’s connection to local athletics stretches back decades: Carl Pick helped move the grandstand to Regner Park, the West Bend High School athletic field was later named for him, and Alan and Nancy Pick funded new field lights. - Pick Heaters also sponsors the Kettle Moraine YMCA Golf Outings, which support the YMCA’s annual scholarship campaign. - The scholarship campaign helps local children and families participate in programs regardless of ability to pay.

Between the lines: - The award reflects a business identity built around more than manufacturing output. - Pick Heaters’ philanthropy appears closely linked to family leadership and a long-standing civic footprint in West Bend. - The company’s giving strategy spans cultural, educational and health-related causes, suggesting a broad approach to local impact rather than a single focus.

What's next: - Pick Heaters said it will continue serving customers across multiple industries while remaining connected to West Bend. - The company’s ongoing involvement in local institutions suggests more support for community programs may follow. - The Legacy of Excellence Award adds public recognition to a history of business and civic investment that is still active today.

The bottom line: - Pick Heaters is being recognized not just for making industrial heating equipment, but for turning a century-long West Bend presence into durable community support.