Old Jamestown Association

Each Year, Old Jamestown Association awards its Citizen of the Year award to someone who has contributed to the overall quality of life in the Old Jamestown Area and has promoted the objectives of the Association. Nominations for Citizen of the Year may be submitted at any time.  Selection is made in March.

Purpose:  To recognize an individual who has contributed to the overall quality of life in the Old Jamestown Area and has promoted the objectives of the Association. The purpose of the Association, which is taken from the founding constitution in 1942 and updated in 1987 is as follows:

“The purpose of the Association is to promote the Old Jamestown Area as a better place to live; to facilitate communications between residents and the government of St. Louis County and neighboring communities; to provide educational resources to the residents and the government of St. Louis County; to advocate procedures which are compatible with the environmental fragility and geological uniqueness of the area; and to generally act in such ways and in such manner that will make the area a better, healthier, more agreeable, and more beautiful place in which to live.”

Eligibility: Any person, whether Association member/nonmember or Area resident/non resident, is eligible to receive this award with the exception of current Directors or any member of their immediate family.   Click here for the nomination form.

Past Award Winners 

2011 -- Don Zykan: Don has long served the north St. Louis County area as a leader with many community organizations.  He also performs an invaluable service of keeping residents informed about current issues and events through his e-mail communications.  Committed to community involvement, Don holds several membership and executive positions, such as Vice Chairman of the Board for Christian Hospital and the Christian Hospital Foundation, and serves on the advisory board for Commerce Bank – North Region.  Don is on the board of directors for the Greater North County Chamber of Commerce, where he previously served as president and was honored as the Business Person of the Year.  Don has also been honored as a U.S. Jaycee Ambassador by the Florissant Valley Jaycees.  He worked as treasurer for the Hazelwood School District proposition H bond issue, and is an active member in North County Inc. Don is also involved with Florissant Old Town Partners, where he was a previous president and board member.  Don is secretary of the board for Florissant Park Foundation where he was a major force in bringing about the Sunset Park Nature Lodge in Florissant.  Don is Community Relations Manager for IESI.   He and his wife, Mickey, are residents of Old Jamestown – they have been married 41 years and have three children (Karen, Donny, and Jason) and three grandchildren.  In his spare time, Don enjoys fishing, golfing and hunting.  Don follows in the Zykan family tradition for community service set by his parents, Don Sr. and Grace Zykan.

2010 -- Dora  Gianoulakis:  Dora has been President of the Spanish Lake Community Association since its inception in 2000.  She provided the initiative for the Spanish Lake Community Area Study by the St. Louis County Department of Planning, which led to the establishment of the Spanish Lake Community Association in 2000.  She has provided the direction for the Association since its inception, during which time there have been many grants, projects, and community activities which have all been focused upon the betterment of the community.  She currently is providing leadership for the Common Sense Coalition to “Save the Confluence” by preserving the confluence area of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers in its natural environmental state.

2009 -- Mike O'Mara:   Mike has been Councilman of the Fourth District since his election in 2000.  During his tenure he has provided leadership in addressing many of the important issues in St. Louis County.  His support of the legislation for the enactment in March 2009 of the Karst Preservation Zoning District was crucial.  This environmental legislation will preserve the natural features of the 4.2 square mile Florissant Karst (Sinkhole) area for future generations. 

2008 -- Bill Schnell:   Bill Schnell has been Area Engineer for the MoDOT  St. Louis Metro North Team since 1999.  During his tenure he has provided leadership for many of the MoDOT  highway improvement projects in North St. Louis County.  Completion in December 2007 of the Highway 367 Corridor Project, which transformed 367 to an uninterrupted freeway from I-270 to New Jamestown Road, six months ahead of schedule and $28,000,000 below the estimated cost, was a significant achievement for the entire Design and Construction team.  He was instrumental in initiating new requirements for the contractor to actively manage construction traffic which resulted in Route 367 flowing better during construction than before the project started.

2007 -- Tom George:   Tom George served as Representative of the 74th District of the State of Missouri from 1998 through 2006.   During that period he worked tirelessly in Jefferson City and locally for the interests of his constituents.  He is president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 1, is a member of the St. Angela Merici Parish, and is active in many North County organizations.  He and his wife live in the Parc Argonne Subdivision located in the Old Jamestown area.

2006 -- Dr. Chris Wright:    Chris Wright came to the Hazelwood School district as superintendent in 2002, after having served in that capacity at the Riverview Garden School District for seven years.  Since her arrival at Hazelwood, she has led the successful Hazelwood First effort, encouraging community engagement with parental, staff, district patrons, and business owners as active leaders for the whole district. This effort resulted in the passage of a  $70 million Bond Issue and the current construction of four new middle schools.

2005 -- Ken Otto:   Ken Otto has served on the  St. Louis County Planning Commission since 1986 and is currently secretary.   During his tenure as a Planning Commissioner he has been a consistent advocate for quality development in North St. Louis County.  Mr. Otto is the President of Handyman True Value Hardware, Inc.    He serves on the board of Commerce Bank, is a member of the Florissant Rotary Club and the Florissant Valley Chamber of Commerce and is an active member of St. Angela Merici Church. 

2004 -- Rance Thomas, Ph.D.:    Dr. Thomas, Professor Emeritus, Lewis and Clark Community College, donates many hours of service to the North County Community.  In addition to his outstanding leadership of NCCU, he serves as 2nd Vice President of North County Inc., Organizer and coordinator of North County Inc.'s Healthcare Task Force, serves on the DePaul Health Center's Community Advisory Board and served on the Hazelwood School District Steering Committee for Proposition 1st and H committee.  He is an active lay member of John Knox Presbyterian Church serving as Elder, Commissioner to the Presbyterian Church's Synod of Mid America and on the Presbytery's Mission Council Executive Committee. He is an active lay member of John Knox Presbyterian Church serving as Elder, Commissioner to the Presbyterian Church's Synod of Mid America and on the Presbytery's Mission Council Executive Committee.

2003 -- Mayor Robert Lowery, Sr.:   Robert Lowery, Mayor of the City of Florissant has an outstanding career of service to the North County community in a variety of capacities and has received many national and local awards. He has been a strong advocate for both the city of Florissant and for the entire North County area. He currently is playing a major role in the resurgence of commercial growth and new development in the City of Florissant and surrounding communities. He has actively promoted and supported many civic endeavors by his personal participation. He speaks favorably, at every opportunity, on the positive and varied merits of the North County area and its residents.

2002 -- Mark Behlmann:   Mark is currently the President of the Board of Education for the Hazelwood School District, an incoming Director of the Florissant Valley Chamber of Commerce, as well as a member of North County Inc. He serves as a Director of the Certified Builders of St. Louis, is an active member in the Home Builders Association of St. Louis, and the National Home Builders Association. He was born and raised in North County where now he and his wife Kathy live in the Parc Argonne subdivision.  Mark has most recently provided the leadership for residents to express their overwhelming opposition to commercial development at New Halls Ferry Road and Vaile Avenue. The petition to rezone the 70 acre site for commercial use has been withdrawn by the developer.

2001 -- Jim O'Mara:  Jim O'Mara was Councilman of the Fourth District of St. Louis County until his term expired last year. He is currently Business Manager of Pipefitters Local #562, has served as International Vice President of Pipefitters United Association District 4, is Past President of the St. Louis Building Trades & Construction Council, and has served on various state level boards and advisory councils. He presently serves on the PRIDE Executive Board and the Commercial Bank Board of Directors, and is a member of the Regional Commerce and Growth Association (RCGA). Jim has lived in North County for forty five years where he and his wife Pat have raised a family of seven children. They now have twenty three grandchildren and two great grandchildren. He has been active in St. Norbert Parish.

2000 -- Doug Wiese

1999 -- Laurie Donovan

1998 -- Dr. Elmer Belsha