Valley Insurance owner lauded for volunteer service to Geneva
Geneva businessman Gordon "Gordie" Hard has applied his passion to help the town's residents well beyond the doors of his insurance agency.
Over the past 30-plus years, he has served on the Geneva Chamber of Commerce's board of directors; with the Rotary Club; as president of Tri-City Crime-Stoppers; as a youth exchange officer, encouraging teens to study abroad; with the Movember - Prostate Cancer Foundation; and with Habitat for Humanity.
He's donated to the Geneva History Museum, the Geneva Beautification Committee, the Geneva Garden Club, the Kane County Sheriff's Association and Geneva High School.
For all that, he was named the 2015 recipient of the Wood Community Service Award Thursday night.
"The way he gets things done behind the scenes without thought to recognition, it is, in my opinion, the true example of volunteerism," fellow Rotarian Steve Rambo said in a news release.
"I have worked with Gordie Hard since 1988 and he is one of the most positive people I know. He is committed to the groups he supports like the chamber and rotary and his enthusiasm never seems to waiver. ... We appreciate his support, his sense of humor and his easy laugh. He has made quiet contributions to the success of the chamber and he is always open to a new idea," Jean Gaines, chamber president, said in the release.
Hard owns Valley Insurance Agency. He bought Petit Insurance Agency in 1978 and the William B. Wood Insurance Agency in 1985, and merged them.
In his roles with the chamber, Hard has worked behind the scenes at many of its events, such as the Festival of the Vine. For the rotary, one of his most cherished activities is helping to organize the annual Christmas luncheon for the Association for Individual Development.
"He genuinely enjoys helping people in the local community. Through hard work and tenacity he has been very blessed and is always looking for a way to give back. He is willing to volunteer for whatever he can, whenever he can," his wife, Kathleen, said.
On a video shown at the ceremony, colleagues poked a little fun at Hard. One recalled a long-ago rotary event at which Hard donned a coconut-shell bra and grass skirt to hula dance. Gaines talked about Hard's proclivity for tardiness, and that she would deliberately tell him when he was chairman that a meeting was scheduled a half-hour earlier than it really was.
The Wood award is presented annually to someone who has contributed significantly to the Geneva community in business, education, youth involvement, civic organization, art, recreation, charity or government. It is named in honor of William and Elise Wood and Nell and Burton Wood.
The past recipients of the award are:
William C. Wood, Robert Joshel, Gloria McCleary, Allen Mead, Arthur Nelson, J. Roger Morris, Weldon Johnson, Jamie Daniel, Mack Olson, Rae Johns Ellsworth, Robert Krell, Richard Lindholm, Dave Rogers, Bruce and Carolyn Simpson, James T. Riley, Alden L. Odt, Sharon L. Jones, Steve Lillie, John Anderson, Mary Bencini, Mary Kay Brown, Stephen Persinger, Dr. Rodney B. Nelson III, Scott Lebin, Sam and Carolyn Hill, Kent Shodeen, Joe Stanton, Tim Vetang, Mary Stith, Jean Gaines and Mary O'Brien.