The Perry County Republic-Monitor hosted a reception on the afternoon of April 24 for the six honorees featured in the 2025 Jackie Wengert Memorial Business & Citizen of the Year special section that appeared in the April 17 issue of the newspaper.
Approximately 60 people attended the event at the new location of Bootheel Baking Co. at 1324 W St. Joseph St. in Perryville. The business received the New Business of the Year award, a new category introduced this year, along with the Youth Citizen(s) of the Year.
The honorees received awards that recognized their achievements, presented by publisher Robert Cox. The award recipients for each category included Citizen of the Year, Andy Graf; Business of the Year, Citizens Electric Corporation; Youth Citizens of the Year, Kali and Kayda Ernst; and New Business of the Year, Tess and Tristan Dunker, owners of the Bootheel Baking Company.
Due to his absence, Graf was unable to receive his Citizen of the Year award at the reception. Therefore, his friend Mark Mattingly, who recommended him for the honor, accepted it on Graf’s behalf.
Mattingly read a message from Graf in which he expressed his thanks for receiving the award. It read: “I’m speechless. I’m honored to be recognized in such a way. When my family and I moved to Perryville 30 years ago, I knew very little about the town. I decided to get involved in the community so I could meet people. Cubmaster, scoutmaster, and then schoolteacher, I quickly learned how to correctly pronounce names like Guyot, Richardet, and Kutz. It didn’t take long to figure out how much people loved this community. I stayed involved. At some point, I joined the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, an organization dedicated to helping people in times of need.
“Ed Schumer, Bob Ray, Victor Klaus, and their families inspired me in their efforts to raise funds to help the poor by running an all-volunteer thrift store located behind the old police station. I am blessed to be associated with so many businesspeople in the community. Perryville pulls together in times of need. Our city is fortunate to have had visionary forefathers. I tell my St. Louis friends and family that Perryville is a clean little city that is thriving because of its dedicated people and the good decisions of so many city and county leaders, past and present. ‘Perryville — Come Plant Your Family Here’ is a very true slogan. Thank you.”
