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Making a Difference in North St. Louis County

As part of the organization’s 38th Annual Breakfast celebration, North County Incorporated (NCI) recognized several area leaders for making a significant positive impact in North County. At a sold out event on Friday, May 29th, 2015 more than 600 business, civic, and community leaders gathered to honor this year’s award recipients.

Carolyn Marty received the prestigious Elmer Belsha Leadership Award. This award is presented annually to an individual who has made a long-term commitment to NCI and North County, and has had a positive impact on the community and/or public body that they serve.

Marty became president of the Greater North County Chamber in 2014.    Prior to joining the chamber, she was the managing editor of the Suburban Journals of Greater St. Louis. Marty’s service to the community includes the North County Inc. Board of Directors since 2011 and the Executive Board since 2013. She has also served on the boards of the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Chamber of Commerce and is a life-long resident of North County.

NCI’s Business Development Award was presented to those whose efforts have positively affected the economic development and business climate of the North County area. This year awards were given to Raven Development for The Crossings at Plaza and Watlow Electric.

Raven Development for The Crossings at Northwest Plaza, a re-development of the former Northwest Plaza site. The project is expected to create around 100 construction jobs and to date 2,000 other jobs to St. Louis County, with an investment level of $106 million.

Watlow Electric employs 450 employees at their Maryland Heights facility in North St. Louis County. This international corporation well-known for their industrial heating units, controls and temperature sensors, were well-positioned to roll out several new products including thermal solutions & semi-conductors boosting sales to $370 million in 2014. Watlow is investing $30 million in renovating and expanding their current facility. This expansion will include a new center for trouble shooting technology challenges specific to their industry.

Excellence in Partnership Awards were given to organizations or companies that have partnered with NCI to make a significant impact on the North County community for the betterment of the area’s quality of life through special initiatives and/or projects. The Regional Business Council, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership and St. Louis Regional Chamber were this year’s recipients.

Regional Business Council led by Kathy Osborn partnered with NCI to establish the Reinvest North County Fund to immediately help small businesses and the schools in the area during the civil unrest.

St. Louis Economic Development Partnership (SLEDP) worked with others to set-up a million dollar loan fund to assist businesses impacted during the crisis. The SLEDP is working closely with NCI to assist with high-touch small business recovery and sustainability initiatives.

St. Louis Regional Chamber partnered with North County Inc. to support the small business community. They assigned a project manager to work with NCI to scale up efforts quickly to achieve a high level of sustainability service to the community and small businesses in regard to the crisis.

NCI’s Community Development Awards were presented to those whose efforts positively benefit youth, residents, civic organizations, or others through selfless acts. Jack Olson, University of Missouri-St. Louis and Rosemary Whitehead were chosen for this award.

Jack Olson, has served as a community volunteer for the Spanish Lake Community Association for the past twelve years. Olson writes for the quarterly Spanish Lake News and he uses his legal & financial expertise as to assist the organization with legal & financial needs. He also has played an integral role in the renovation of the historic Twillman House in Spanish Lake.

University of Missouri-St. Louis took an active response to Ferguson events. The University collaborated with the State to train hundreds of area teachers, school administrators and others on ways to work with children experiencing stress and trauma during the civil unrest. The campus’ Missouri Institute for Mental Health was actively engaged with mental health initiatives for area residents and worked with others to develop solutions around social justice and human rights issues.

Rosemary Whitehead, founded Love In Action in 2011. Love in Action offers programs that empowers and motivates youth and young adults, age 12-30. Rosemary also partners with the City of Bellefontaine Neighbors on community service activities like Beautification Action Days, Electronic Recycling Days and resource fairs.

Public Service Awards were presented to outstanding individuals, elected, appointed, or employed by a public body whose long-time service has had a positive impact on the community and/or public body they serve. This year’s awardees are Denny Coleman, CEO, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, Mayor Viola Murphy, City of Cool Valley, Chief Robert S. Pruett, City of Bellefontaine Neighbors.

Denny Coleman, CEO, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership has overseen a multitude of economic development initiatives that have earned the St. Louis region, national recognition for outstanding progress in the areas of community revitalization, business development and job creation. He has been instrumental in the redevelopment in Wellston and NorthPark.

Mayor Viola Murphy, City of Cool Valley has committed her life to public service, first as a public school teacher for 30 years with the Ferguson Florissant School District. Since 2008 as Mayor she has worked to improve Cool Valley’s infrastructure with updates, such as sidewalks and lighting along their main commercial corridor.

Chief Robert S. Pruett was sworn in as Bellefontaine Neighbors police chief in 2001, he is a member of many professional organizations and has served as Chairman of the State’s Certification Program. He pursued a grant to provide additional hours of bike and foot patrol for the summer months to take care of the city’s residents.

Special Recognition Awards were presented to outstanding individuals who through their business and volunteer services exemplify leadership and service to the North County community, are dedicated to helping others, and improving the business environment and/or lives of those they serve. Scott Bonner, and the I Love Ferguson Committee are this year’s recipients.

Scott Bonner has been the Director of the Ferguson Library since 2014, Bonner demonstrated commitment to area families by keeping the library open during the community’s civil unrest. He hung a simple sign out front saying “Stay Strong Ferguson. We are family.” He worked with teachers, churches and volunteers to offer educational programming and provide a safe place for up to 200 children a day. The library urged children to check out “healing kits” that included books dealing with trauma and included a stuffed animal gift.

I Love Ferguson Committee, an all-volunteer group sold products, such as mugs and shirts, and earmarked the proceeds to help businesses that were damaged in their community. The Committee generously donated $100,000 to the Reinvest North County Fund to help small businesses with hardships they experienced. The Committee’s chairman is Ferguson Councilman Brian Fletcher.

Sustaining our Community Awards were presented to individuals, organizations or companies that went above and beyond their usual roles to impact North County with programs and resources that sustain or improve quality of life. Emerson, St. Louis Crisis Nursery and the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis were honored.

Emerson establishing two initiatives in the wake of the Ferguson unrest. Emerson developed the Ferguson Forward and Neighbors Helping Neighbors program. Ferguson Forward increases educational and job training opportunities especially in the fields of business, science technology, engineering or math. The Neighbors Helping Neighbors program provides financial and expertise-based assistance for small businesses.

St. Louis Crisis Nursery has had a presence in North County for twenty years serving children and their families. During the civil unrest Crisis Nursery provided families in Ferguson items of necessity, including diapers, formula, baby wipes; food, cleaning supplies and clothing. They assisted ten families with emergency funds to prevent homelessness/utility disconnection and hundreds of hours of counseling for parents and children were provided.

Urban League participated in the Reinvest North County Fund, served over 2,000 Ferguson and surrounding North County residents with hot meals, and provided groceries, school supplies, toiletries, utility and rental assistance at the Dellwood Community Center. The Urban League created the Save Our Sons program in North County which provides a workforce development-focused solution to African American males, ages 18 and over who are unemployed and underemployed.

NCI’s 38th Annual Breakfast presenting sponsors were: HDR; St. Louis County, St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, SSM DePaul Health Center and US Bank. The corporate plus sponsors for this event were: St Louis Community College – Florissant Valley; St. Louis Regional Chamber and The Bridge at Florissant.

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