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North County Inc. Presents Annual Awards at Breakfast
Rebecca Zoll, NCI’s executive director, presents the Elmer Belsha Leadership award to Mark Tranel at NCI’s breakfast
As part of the organization’s 33rd Annual Breakfast, North County Incorporated (NCI) recognized several area leaders for making a significant positive impact in North County. On Friday, May 21, 2010 more than 550 business, civic, and community leaders gathered to honor this year’s award recipients.
Lillie Dumas, Vice-President and Branch Manager for Commerce Bank, was recognized for her service as NCI’s 2009 Chairwoman of the Board. NCI’s 2010 Chairwoman of the Board, Kim Bakker, Network Director of Community Affairs for SSM Health Care thanked Dumas for her years of service and for helping strengthen the organization during such economically challenging times. Bakker commended Dumas on the example she set for others as a community leader and volunteer.
Mark Tranel, Ph.D. received the prestigious Elmer Belsha Leadership Award, which is presented annually to an individual whose long-term commitment to the North County region and NCI has had a positive impact on the community and/or public body that they serve. Tranel, Director of the Public Policy Research Center on the campus of the University of Missouri-St. Louis has served on the NCI Board since 2000. From 2001-2006 he provided economic development leadership as Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, he was NCI’s Chairman of the Board for 2007 and 2008 and continues to serve on the Executive Board and chairs a transportation taskforce for the organization.
NCI’s Business Development Awards were presented to Bommarito of Hazelwood- Nissan, Honda & Volkswagen, Express Scripts Pharmacy Technology & Innovation Center Project Partnership and the NARA Project Partnership. Business Development Awards are given to those whose efforts positively affect the economic development and business climate of North County.
Bommarito of Hazelwood was honored for both their recent business and community investments in North County. They recently redeveloped the blighted property off of I-270 near Lindbergh, investing $20 million dollars in building three of the largest automotive dealerships in North County and hiring 150 employees. Their investment and expansion in the market generated $171 million dollars in combined sales in 2009. They have also made considerable contributions to NCI, the Northwest Chamber of Commerce, Valley Industries, and Pattonville School District’s Athletic Association
The Express Scripts Pharmacy Technology and Innovation Center Project Partnership included: Express Scripts, St. Louis County Economic Council and NorthPark Partners-Clayco and McEagle. St. Louis County Economic Council worked hard this past year coordinating the efforts needed to make the new $74 million investment a reality for North St. Louis County. Express Script’s newest addition to our community features state-of-the-art pharmacy automation dispensing, packaging and shipment for up to 110,000 prescriptions per day.
The facility will create approximately 300 new high-paying jobs and will generate millions of dollars over the next ten years, adding substantial investment to the County’s tax base. St. Louis County Economic Council played a critical role by working closely with Express Scripts to keep this project on track and in St. Louis, bringing the necessary stakeholders together to make this project a reality for our community
The NARA Project Partnership included: U.S. Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond, Congressman William Lacy Clay, (the late) John Londoff, Sr., Missouri Development Finance Board, National Archives and Records Administration, St. Louis County, St. Louis County Economic Council, The Molasky Group of Companies, and the U.S. General Service Administration The NPRC is now being built directly off I-270, along Dunn Rd. in the Spanish Lake area, on land previously owned by the late John Londoff, Sr., who donated a portion of the site, in order to help make the project a reality. The NPRC’s new facility, being developed by The Molasky Group of Companies, will house 14 other U.S. Agencies and is expected to become a tourist destination, drawing 10,000 visitors annually. It is also projected to have an additional $430 million economic benefit to the local economy.
Community Development Awards were presented to Lottie Holland Wade and the Overland Business Association. These awards are presented to those whose efforts go beyond their normal duties, benefiting youth, residents, and/or civic organizations in North County.
Since 2006, Lottie Holland Wade has been volunteering her time to actively champion the needs of families and children in the Spanish Lake community in North County. She currently chairs the Spanish Lake Youth and Family Council, an initiative of the Spanish Lake Community Association. Under her leadership there has been an increase in agencies that provide services to the area, more after-school and summer activities for youth and the Council sponsors a youth resource fair each year. The community is a better place because of the commitment, knowledge, hard work and dedication that Lottie has so generously given to her community.
Public Service Awards were presented to Hazelwood City Manager Ed Carlstrom and Florissant Councilman Keith English. Public Service Awards are given to 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.
Ed Carlstrom has been the city manager for Hazelwood since 1979 and proven himself to be a successful leader in management, economic development and planning. As the longest tenured city manager in Missouri, he has seen the city’s population more than double; its size grow from under five to sixteen square miles; and its assessed valuation increase from $60 million to $600 million. Under Carlstrom’s leadership, the city has used critical economic development tools to bring key investment and growth to Hazelwood, growth such as the development of a $300 million super regional mall, redevelopment of 220 acres for advanced technology businesses, and a $70 million IBM computer server farm.
Keith English, councilman for the City of Florissant since 2007, also received an NCI 2010 Community Development Award. His service to the community includes serving on the Florissant’s city council, this year being named council president. He started a Ward 4 Reach Out Program that helps seniors with much needed exterior home repairs and makeovers for free with the help of local students volunteering their time for community service hours and local businesses donating supplies. English has helped with neighborhood beautification projects and with building handicap ramps for those in wheel chairs. He worked on the first Habitat for Humanity home in Florissant and raised thousands of dollars to help fund free PSA screenings for early detection of cancer and for the Children of Fallen Soldiers.
A special Memorial Award was dedicated to the life of Lowell E. Girardier and was presented to his wife, Beverly Girardier. Girardier, an influential resident of and advocate for North County was recognized for his commitment, generosity and life-time dedication to community organizations, such as North County Inc., the Rotary Club of Florissant, Valley Industries, Child Center-Marygrove, area Chambers of Commerce, the Emerson YMCA, several local schools, and more. As a successful custom home, commercial and church builder and businessman he led by example taking his responsibility to give back to the community seriously and doing so on a daily basis.
Kim Bakker, NCI Chairperson of the Board said, “Lowell was the type of person we should all strive to be like. He was the very definition of a gentleman and when he spoke it was with wisdom and compassion.”
During the event, NCI was presented with two financial gifts. The organization received a $6,000 donation from the US Bank Foundation and a $5,000 donation from Walmart Stores, Inc.
