It's the final week of 2025 and I look back at the past 12 months with a big smile and an ice cream mustache to match.  I started this year having only heard about Tom Landis, the legendary Founder of Howdy Homemade Ice Cream, and now I consider him a coach, mentor, and friend. 

Launched 10 years ago this month, Howdy Homemade makes and serves award-winning ice cream while providing dignified work to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Howdy Homemade is changing the way the world sees people with special needs, one joyful scoop at a time. 

For his dedication, sacrifice, and impact, Tom has been honored with the following awards:

• The Ryan Albers Lifetime Achievement Award
• The Johnny Stallings Award
• The National Down Syndrome Congress Employer of the Year
• And many awards for the super-premium ice cream he created

Following the recent announcement that our team has joined forces with Tom to rapidly expand Howdy Homemade's reach (increasing store count and boosting catering), I think it's time to announce the first-ever recipient of the Tom Landis Impact Award. Drumroll please...

The 2025 winner is - Tom Landis! 

Sure, I might have just made up this award. Still, it won't be long before the Tom Landis Impact Award is a prestigious, nationally recognized honor for leaders who create and promote a dignified work experience and drive culture change for adults with special needs. Each year, the award will recognize leaders who embody Tom Landis's sacrifice and skills.  

Three (of the many) Award-Winning Traits of Tom Landis

Coaching for Success - Rather than accepting that an adult with special needs has reached the peak of their ability, Tom always expects more and coaches each individual to achieve more through a beautiful blend of patience, persistence, and practice, practice, practice. Recently, I met the parents of a Howdy Hero for lunch. They shared that Tom has always seen more potential in their son than anyone else and that Tom's focus on growth has enabled their son to accomplish things others said were impossible. Award winners should have a demonstrated track record of coaching heroes to exceed the false limitations imposed by our society. 

Dreaming Bigger - Tom's vision of what's possible is bigger than anyone's I've ever met. He envisions a future in which many types of jobs are filled by adults with special needs, not just retail service roles. The Howdy Way will continue to materialize because Tom sees only opportunities where others see barriers. Any winner of the Tom Landis Impact Award must always Dream Bigger. 

Faith Over Fear - Despite rational, well-meaning people telling Tom to fear the likely failure of his experiment to hire adults with IDDs for the front-of-house jobs, or the doom that lingered throughout every month of the global pandemic, Tom persisted in prayer and put faith over fear in every aspect of life. Tom is a pioneer, a rebel with a noble cause, and a hero to over 100 Howdy Heroes and more. The future Tom Landis Impact Award recipients will join an elite class of faith-forward leaders who choose to embrace the fear and persevere regardless. 

Tom has left an indelible mark on my life and the lives of so many others. What about you?  Have you had a memorable encounter with Tom Landis? We would love to hear about your Tom stories and inspirations as well. 

And what about others like Tom in this world... Who has inspired you when it comes to promoting and advancing the quality of life for adults with special needs? Perhaps someone you know will be a future honoree of the Tom Landis Impact Award.