Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Missouri Bank announce Outstanding Citizen of the Year
This is the 55th year the award has been presented
The 2021 Outstanding Citizen of the Year was announced this morning by the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce and Southwest Missouri Bank.
Mr. Dan Pekarek is the recipient of the award, now in its 55th year, after being recognized as a business leader in Joplin.
Pekarek has a lengthy career in the Joplin area, which started with him as an Environmental Health Specialist in 1986.
His career continued as he took the titles of Lead Sanitarian and Director of the Joplin Health Department, as well as the more recent positions of Interim City Manager from March 2019 to March 2020 and later Assistant City Manager in June 2020.
Several accomplishments Pekarek had in his career include preparing the community water fluoridation proposal; improving ordinances for the City’s Animal Control division; passing the City’s Tobacco 21 ordinance.
He also played a major role in the recovery efforts following the 2011 Joplin tornado.
