INDIANAPOLIS – Dr. Steven C. Hollar, Warsaw dentist, was bestowed the honor of the Sagamore of the Wabash in a public ceremony Friday in Indianapolis. The Sagamore of the Wabash is the highest distinction given by the Indiana governor for distinguished service in Indiana. “Dr. Hollar served three terms, nine years, on the Indiana State Board of Dentistry with honor and distinction. Too often protectors of effective governance go unnoticed, but this honor lets all Hoosiers know we have taken notice and have benefited from your leadership and service,” Deborah Frye, director of Indiana Professional Licensing, is quoted as saying in a news release. The board is the authoritative body for maintaining public health and safety of dental consumers. Hollar has been practicing in Warsaw since graduating from Indiana University School of Dentistry with honors in 1993. Hollar said, “I am humbled and appreciative to receive such a prestigious award from the governor. My time serving the dental public and patients of our great Hoosier state has been a privilege and high mark in my career. All dentists must work every day to continue to maintain the ethics of our profession and respect of each patient we serve.” The term Sagamore was used by early Native Americans in northeastern United States to describe someone among the tribe to whom the chief would look for wisdom, guidance and advice, the release states. Similarly, the Sagamore of the Wabash is one of Indiana’s highest honors and is given to those Hoosiers who have rendered distinguished service to the state and contributed greatly to Hoosier heritage. The Sagamore of the Wabash award was created during the term of Governor Ralph Gates, who served from 1945 to 1949, according to the Indiana government website. Gates was to attend a tri-state meeting in Louisville with officials from the states of Ohio and Kentucky. Aides to the governor discovered that the governor of Kentucky was preparing a Kentucky Colonel certificates for Gates and Senator Robert A. Taft, who represented the state of Ohio. The Hoosiers decided that Indiana should have an appropriate award to present in return. Hollar said he will continue to serve dentistry at the local, state and national levels. He is currently a trustee for the North Central Indiana and delegate from Indiana at the national American Dental Association level.
