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Greater NCC Names John Ortwig 2015 Outstanding Business Person of the Year
The Greater North County Chamber of Commerce recently selected John Ortwig, owner of Florissant Glass and Old Town Wedding Chapel in Old Town Florissant, as its 2015 Outstanding Business Person of the Year.
Ortwig, who has been a member of the Chamber since 1987, will be recognized at the annual Outstanding Business Person of the Year and the 60th Anniversary of the Greater North County Chamber on Friday, April 17, beginning at 6 p.m. at Norwood Hills Country Club.
Ortwig started Florissant Glass in 1972 and bought Old Town Wedding Chapel in 1990.
His involvement with the community began at a young age. He was sponsored by the Knights of Columbus as Chief Squire in 1958 at the age of 18. He played softball and helped with barbecues for the Elks and that is where he became knowledgeable about what the Elks do for the community. He joined the Elks in 1969. He was a trustee for 18 years, along with being the chairman of the trustees.
He received the Citizens of the Year Award two times and was Elk of the Year in 2014. He has helped build floats for the Valley of the Flowers parade for the Elks, worked with DARE, and helped with the robot that was used for DARE. He ran the Hoop Shoot and is now in charge of Bingo at the Elks. He also was on the building committee when the Elks built their building in 1983 at 16400 New Halls Ferry Road.
Ortwig is a member and on the board of Old Town Partners, a non-profit organization dedicated to seeing the Florissant Historic Business District and Old Town prosper. He has served on the committee for the Florissant Fall Festival for 15 years and chaired the Old Town Partners Pancake Breakfast for over 10 years. Every holiday for 40 years, he has put up and taken down American Flags along the roadside from Florissant Road to St. Ferdinand Street.
For over 30 years, Ortwig has sponsored baseball and softball teams to give youth a chance to excel and enjoy sports. He has participated in community programs such as veterans support, elderly care and providing food baskets for the poor.
Ortwig and his wife, Lynda, have six children, 18 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The cost of the event is $60 per person, which includes dinner and a two-hour open bar. Reservation deadline is April 3. For more information, call the Chamber office at 314-831-3500 or visit www.greaternorthcountychamber.com.
