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North County Incorporated Honors Community Leaders at Annual Breakfast
Awards Presented in Several Categories
As part of the organization’s 35th 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 18t more than 550 business, civic, and community leaders gathered to honor this year’s award recipients.
Lillie Dumas 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 the North County region, and has had a positive impact on the community and/or public body that they serve.
Employed by Commerce Bank for 29 years, Dumas is currently the vice president and branch manager of the Florissant branch located on Lindbergh. In her role, she works closely with local small business owners, assisting them with start-up costs and expansion needs. Dumas became a North County Inc. board member in 2004 and became part of the Executive Board in 2006. She served as treasurer in 2006 and 2007, was vice chair in 2008 and served as Board Chair in 2009.
Currently, Dumas is NCI’s Membership Committee Chair. She encourages businesses to support NCI’s vision in the North County community and the importance of working together toward a prosperous business environment and sustainable neighborhoods. She is a member of the Christian Hospital Foundation Board, and Rotary Club of Florissant. Each year, Dumas organizes and hosts Commerce Bank’s annual celebration dinner for the Valley of the Flower’s Queen and Court. Commerce Bank is a member of North County Inc.
NCI’s Business Development Awards were presented to those whose efforts have positively affected the economic development and business climate of the North County area. These awards were presented to Express Scripts, Northwest HealthCare, and St. Louis Community College-Corporate College.
Express Scripts, in November 2011 moved 1500 employees into their fourth building on its North County headquarters campus. The company is committed to increasing net employment in St. Louis by more than 150 within two years of opening this new building. Express Scripts made an investment in building construction costs of more than $70 million and provided more than 250,000 person-hours of union construction employment. The project was designed and built by the Clayco/Paric Joint Venture. Completion of the 227,000 square-foot building and recent leasing of 36,000 square feet in a nearby building brought Express Scripts footprint to 982,000 square feet on the North County campus, employing nearly 4,000 people on their campus. Express Scripts is a member of North County Inc.
The Northwest HealthCare’s recent campus expansion was based on patient and physician demand. In 2004, the emergency department was built for 35,000 visits annually. That number reached 50,885 visits in 2011. Late last year a 5,800 square foot addition to the Northwest HealthCare Emergency Department was built to add 13 private patient treatment rooms, for a total of 28 emergency treatment rooms. A two-story, 40,000 square-foot medical office building was also added to the outpatient facility, attracting additional physicians to the North County location to serve our community. The expansion project was a total investment of $14 million in construction costs and the project created 348 jobs. Northwest HealthCare is a member of North County Inc.
St. Louis Community College-Corporate College is a state of the art training facility that offers a full menu of workforce solutions to advance individual and business success in the knowledge economy. The site is the newest addition to St. Louis Community College’s network of facilities and programs bringing demand-driven workforce training to the region. It is the college’s first facility dedicated to corporate education. The building cost about $5.5 million plus renovation costs. The renovated space has over 450 instructional seats, including: classrooms, a unique 360-degree collaboration training space; multiple break-out rooms; executive-level conference rooms; computer training labs and more. The facility offers North County businesses 18,000 square feet in affordable meeting and event space.
NCI’s Community Development Awards were presented to those whose efforts positively benefit youth, residents, civic organizations, or others through selfless acts. Kim Braddy, the Jennings Do-Dads and Ken Smith were chosen for this award.
Kim Braddy, executive director of the Maryland Heights Chamber of Commerce promotes activities and programs to help the business community flourish. Braddy has recreated a new and better image for the Chamber increasing membership by approximately 100 new members annually. In addition, she has promoted a series of programs and events that have generated an additional $40,000 in gross revenues in the past 5 years. 2011 brought a series of challenges to the area when a tornado ripped through the community. Through the collaborative efforts of the Chamber
Jennings Do-Dads is a charitable organization formed in 1954 by some of the fathers of members of the former Camp Fire Girls. When the Camp Fire Girls disbanded, the Do-Dads continued their fundraising efforts to support youth related activities in Jennings and the greater North County area. Over the years, some of the groups supported by the Do-Dads have included the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Corpus Christi and Jennings Athletic Associations, Spina Bifada, Multiples Sclerosis, the USO and Missouri Veterans Home, the American Peregrine Society, DARE programs, the Special Olympics and Meals on Wheels.
Ken Smith, after a long and successful 25 years, stepped down from the office of president of the Old Jamestown Association. However, Smith continues his volunteer service to the organization by remaining on the executive board. The Old Jamestown Association represents a large geographic area in north St. Louis County near the Missouri River. Smith was instrumental in three important endeavors relating to planning in north St. Louis County. First, he helped reactivate the Old Jamestown Association in 1987, when St. Louis County began an area study to develop a land use plan for the community. Second, he helped get a zoning ordinance created to protect the significant natural environmental area known as the Florissant Karst. Most recently, Smith persevered in having the Old Jamestown community identified as a Census Designated Place. Old Jamestown Association is a member of North County Inc.
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. Supt. Cheryl Compton, of the Ritenour School District; Brian Fletcher, former mayor, City of Ferguson; Ann Gibbons, Hazelwood School District Board member; Mayor Monica Huddleston, City of Greendale were this year’s Public Service Award recipients.
Cheryl Compton is currently the superintendent of the Ritenour School District. Dr. Compton has been an educator for 30 years; she has a passion and commitment to student learning and making a difference for children in the district. Through Dr. Compton’s vision and leadership, the Ritenour School District has seen growth and improvement in many areas – academically, through community involvement, and in new construction. Dr. Compton was the driving force behind the passage of a bond issue in 2008 that helped build a new School for Early Childhood Education, two new libraries and a new auditorium and classroom at Ritenour High School. The bond funding also provided new technology in every classroom, safety and security upgrades at each school, new playgrounds, and elevators to meet ADA requirements.
Brian Fletcher, former Mayor of the City of Ferguson was first elected as Mayor in April 2005. Fletcher has served in multiple public service roles since 1983, including city councilman, committeeman, Ferguson Pension Board Chair and as a Ferguson-Florissant School District school board member. Fletcher continues to work with the City Council to develop an appropriate facility where community events can be held and neighborhood associations can meet. While in office, he helped expand neighborhood groups, the reconstruction of several roadway’s in Ferguson, and increased the partnership with the Ferguson-Florissant School District’s 2+2 Program
Ann Gibbons was elected to the Hazelwood School Board in 1981. Last year, she was elected for her 11th term on the board. Gibbons helped save the 150-year old, one-room school house in Hazelwood and helped lead the effort to pass more than $300 million in bond issues for improvements. While serving on the Board of Education, Hazelwood School District implemented pre-engineering and biomedical programs, aligned professional development with the accountability system and adopted a new district-wide reading program. She also helped lead efforts to implement full-day kindergarten. In addition to her leadership at the Hazelwood School District and raising five children, Gibbons has been a PTA member and volunteer for more than 40 years, leading efforts to raise scholarships for the district’s graduates. Last spring, the Missouri School Board Association honored Gibbons with the Paul Morris Community Service Award for volunteerism. In 2003, Gibbons was a recipient of the Community Service Award for St. Louis, Commerce Bank and the William T. Kemper Foundation awarded $10,000 to the charities of her choice. She has been involved in the Girl Scouts for 50 years and has coordinated the YFU International Student Exchange Program for 25 years. Hazelwood School District is a member of North County Inc.
Mayor Monica Huddleston is the current mayor of the City of Greendale. She has had a long-term commitment and made positive contributions to the North County region, including her involvement with Beyond Housing’s 24:1 Initiative. 24:1 is an innovative, place-based community development initiative, created to solve the challenges facing residents and communities within the Normandy School District. Mayor Huddleston has acted as an advocate for other municipalities and the City of Greendale working for efficient and responsive government. She recently played a key role in the approval of Beyond Housing’s low-income housing tax credit application to build 31 new homes in Pine Lawn. Even though the project is outside of her community, she advocated to the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC) to make this development a reality.
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. Jerrilyn Eberhart and Hubert H. Hoosman were honored with this award on Friday.
Jerrilyn Eberhart is a long-time employee for the City of Berkeley Fire Department. Eberhart manages the Angel Wishes program for the city, working with community leaders, schools, counselors, businesses, City Councilmembers, and staff to make the program successful. Angel Wishes is a program for residents geared toward assisting the less fortunate during the holiday season. The program provides many area families and elderly residents with Christmas dinner, food, toiletries, household products, clothing, and holiday presents for children.
Hubert H. Hoosman, Jr., is the president and chief executive officer of Vantage Credit Union. Hoosman graduated with a full basketball scholarship from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Today, Hoosman is a member of the Chancellor’s Council which is comprised of corporate leaders in the St. Louis region. The Council has been instrumental in raising funds for the University of Missouri – St. Louis’ capital campaign raising nearly $140 million for the university. Hoosman has also served as President and Vice President of UMSL’s Alumni Association.
In May 1992, Hoosman began his career as a teller and loan officer trainee for the St. Louis Suburban Teachers Credit Union, which in 2001 became Vantage Credit Union. Holding various positions he learned the business and moved up the corporate ladder becoming President and CEO in 1994. Three of the credit union’s branches are located in North County. Hoosman is committed to the philosophy of helping people achieve financial independence and success. Vantage Credit Union is a member of North County Inc.
