Announcing the 2025 Vanguard Award Winners
outstanding Chippewa Valley leaders will be honored Feb. 8 at Best Night

Since 2018, the Chippewa Valley Vanguard Awards have honored outstanding community achievers who are leading the region forward through significant impact in a broad spectrum of fields, including arts, business, education, social action, and more.
Typically, each year’s Vanguard honorees has been announced for the first time as part of Volume One’s Best Night celebration. For 2025, however, we’re trying a little something different: We’re announcing the winners right here and now! We’re hoping the change helps build a little buzz for the winners and allows their friends, family, and colleagues to get a head’s up about their achievements.
The Chippewa Valley Vanguard class of 2025 consists of the following outstanding community members:
ERIN KLAUS, who has used the creativity and business acumen developed over years as co-owner of Tangled Up in Hue to step into a leadership role forging independence for Downtown Eau Claire, Inc.
CHAD ROWEKAMP, president of the Eau Claire’s Eastside Hill Neighborhood Association, who has demonstrated how individual commitment and local collaboration can help communities flourish.
CULLEN RYAN, whose tireless devotion to fostering and highlighting Chippewa Valley comedy and comedians through Clear Water Comedy has brought countless laughs to audiences and invigorated one facet of the local arts scene.
Each winner will be featured in a video presented as part of Best Night, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 8, at The Lismore in downtown Eau Claire. In addition to celebrating their achievement, Best Night will be an opportunity for community members to mix and mingle at the Valley’s most exciting cocktail party, a high-energy night filled with music, food, specialty beverages, technology and entertainment, and camaraderie.
The three Vanguard winners will also be profiled in a special feature section included in the Feb. 20 edition of Volume One. Learn more about the Chippewa Vanguards program and meet past honorees at volumeone.org/vanguard. Get the scoop on Best Night and find tickets at volumeone.org/bestnight.