Downtown Geneva fan wins community service award
Businessman Joe Stanton was honored Tuesday night for what he does for Geneva, receiving the 2011 Wood Community Service Award from the Geneva Chamber of Commerce.
The award honors people who have made Geneva a better place through their involvement in business, education, youth involvement, civic organizations, art, recreation, charity or government.
“Tonight’s recipient is such a visionary for Geneva. He is such a thinker,” said chamber board chairman Scott Lebin, who presented the award.
“I find it difficult to find myself in that company,” said Stanton of former Wood Award winners at the dinner who had been recognized a few minutes earlier.
Lebin detailed Stanton’s varied career, starting as a mechanic for an Alfa Romeo dealership. It included being a manager at the first Ristorante Chianti, owning the Geneva Mining Co. restaurant, and eventually forming Fagans Inc, which has graphic design, commercial development and commercial management divisions.
Stanton moved to Geneva in 1984.
“Since moving here, he has loved this community and is willing to do practically anything to ensure that it remains a thriving, growing place to live and do business,” said Laura Rush, the chamber’s spokesman, in a prepared statement.
Stanton has built, renovated and moved houses, commercial and office buildings in downtown Geneva. His first business was the Geneva Mining Co. at Second and State streets.
He has worked with or given financial support to many organizations: the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, the Geneva History Center, the Geneva Library Foundation, the Geneva Park District, the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission, Geneva High School, Harrison Elementary School, the former Coultrap Elementary School, Geneva Underground Playhouse, the Geneva Police Department Senior Citizen directory and the Geneva Township Senior Center.
Stanton has also helped with fundraising, such as the “Concert for a Cure” put on by the Paul Ruby Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, the “Dancing With the Geneva Stars” for the cultural arts commission and “60 Men Who Cook” for the history center, the Geneva Rotary Club and the Geneva Lions Club.
Stanton is avidly interested in city government; most Monday nights you can find him planted in a chair in the audience at a city council meeting. He worked with the water and wastewater task force; served as the chamber’s representative working with city administrators and other businessmen to update the city’s liquor laws; and helped the Geneva Police Department committee to update mission and vision statements. Lebin lauded his ability to work with elected officials and his willingness to help other businessmen navigate city codes and processes.
Stanton’s support even shows on the marquee sign on the old Geneva Theater building on West State Street, which he owns. There hasn’t been a movie theater in there for years, but Stanton agreed to keep the marquee. It displays information about community events; for a long time, it was Stanton himself who climbed the ladder to change the announcements.
“He is a kind and generous man. When called upon, he is always willing to help — his family, his friends, his employees, his customers, his tenants and especially his city. No request for assistance is too small or too big for Joe to take on,” said Debbie Draus, his assistant at Fagans, in a prepared statement.
The Wood Community Service award is named in honor of Bill and Elise Wood and Nell and Burton Wood — four individuals who have all contributed to the growth and health of the city of Geneva.
The recipient is revealed at the chamber’s annual dinner.