By Pauline Masson –
In Pacific the holiday season always brings a feel good tradition of offering a special community Thank You, to individuals who helped shape the community this year – and in some cases for many past years.
The folksy recognition pageant takes place during the Pacific Area Chamber of Commerce and Pacific Partnership Christmas gathering, which was held at the Pacific Eagles December 13.
This annual celebration dates back more than twenty years. When Ed Hillhouse was Chamber of Commerce president, someone suggested that the Chamber should recognize a Citizen of the Year, as other communities did.
Hillhouse was hesitant. No matter how deserving an individual is, he said, recognizing one citizen does not tell the whole story.
“There are many people who contribute to the community and deserve to be recognized,” he said. “How do you choose?”
In short order Hillhouse and his assistant Pat Andrae figured out how to choose. They began listing individuals who made contributions to community life. The list soon grew to eleven men that they considered the business pioneers of life in Pacific. All eleven were invited to attend the Chamber of Commerce annual 2001 meeting for recognition. Six showed up in their best bib and tucker and posed for a historic photo.
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Every year since, the Chamber of Commerce has kept the tradition each December of recognizing multiple citizens whose, business, community service activities and Chamber of Commerce participation have helped shape the Pacific community.
This year’s honorees included Bob and Ann Trent, who business Bigfoot 4X4 was named Business of the year. Favorite son Rich Presley, whose family owns and operates Presley’s Glass, received a double honor, the coveted Citizen of the Year and the Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award. Two local business owners were added to the list of Pacific Business Pioneers – Norbert Gildehaus, Gildehaus Comfort Systems, And former Chamber president Greg Myers, Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
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In 2003, I asked the Chamber president Ed Hillhouse and my boss Bill Miller Sr, Missourian newspaper publisher if we could include first responders for recognition, which the Missourian would sponsor.
“We’d love to do it,” Mr. Miller said. ”But we won’t choose the recipients. Each agency will have to name the individuals they select for recognition.”
For eighteen years, the Missourian sponsored annual distinguished service awards for police, fire and ambulance officers who went above the call. The police, fire and ambulance districts agreed to honor their achievers. And the Chamber of Commerce included those awards in its annual Holiday awards dinner.
When the Missourian withdrew from covering Pacific news, the first responder awards appeared in peril. But two local insurance executives, Brad Reed and Dennis Oliver, saw the loss of recognition for first responders as a loss to the entire community. They revived the first responder awards and gained the participation of the four district chiefs – Pacific Police, Pacific and Boles Fire, and Meramec Ambulance. They graciously put my name on the award, “for continuity,” they said. But make no mistake Brad Reed and Dennis Oliver are now the driving force in this part of the annual recognition program.
The 2023 police officer selected by Pacific PD command and his fellow officers was was Sgt. James Klingler, most notably, his peers said, for his contribution of laughter, wisdom, and training.
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Sgt, Klingler, a 37-year police officer, with 20 years in Pacific, has done it all, while serving in the Marine Corps Reserves. He served in Desert Storm and worked under cover on a police Task Force. Now, as a “seasoned” officer, he thrives on teaching the new officers in the field, certifications for the officers in weapons, and as a certified Armorer he oversees inventory and purchase of ammunition.
But his peers noted that he also brings an award winning sense of humor to the job. He is a huge prankster and usually the instigator for all things FUNNY!
Two area fire marshals were selected by their department for special recognition: Pacific Fire Protection District Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal David Phipps and Boles Fire Protection District Captain Justin Hill.
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Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal David “Dave” Phipps has been in the fire service for 49 years. He began his career as a volunteer with Washington Fire Department, rapidly ascending to Assistant Chief. Years later, he was hired by Metro West Fire Protection District as the Fire Marshal.
Captain Justin Hill started in the Fire Service in 1999 as a volunteer with the High Ridge Fire Protection District. In December of 2003, he started his full time career with the Boles Fire Protection District. In his time spent at Boles, he has competed in the Backstoppers Guns and Hoses Charity event twice, been deployed multiple times for wildland firefighting, as well as a member specialized rescue group of Task Force 5 and has earned certifications in Specialized Rescue, Fire Instructor and Fire Officer.
The Meramec Ambulance – taking a page from Hillhouse’s inclusion book – chose to honor at team of seven staffers for their answer to one tragic calling 2023. “
“Although we feel all our staff has contributed to our community this year, we feel it is important to recognize our seven staff members who responded to the tragic shooting that took place on October 14, 2023. That night, these staff members worked diligently under pressure, providing excellence in care while also showing empathy and compassion to each victim,” said Stevie Schneider, Meramec Ambulance office manager. ________________________________________________________________________________________
“We are extremely proud of this group of individuals and wish to thank them for not only their excellence of care on this night, but every day they serve our community,” Schneider said.
True to their mission, sponsors Brad and Dennis provided plaques for each of the seven honorees.
The Pacific Partnership also recognized individuals who helped the organization conduct Pacific’s trademark outdoor events in 2023. Photos and names were not available, but will be posted if and when we can get the.
