The City of Creve Coeur recognized Joe Martinich and Mike Barzoff as Citizens of the Year 2018 for their dedication and service to the community at the annual Holiday Appreciation Event on Tuesday, December 4 at the Creve Coeur Government Center. Mayor Barry Glantz presented the awards to Martinich and Barzoff at the event honoring all members of the city’s 14 boards, commissions and committees.

Martinich and Barzoff were recognized for their effort in creating the Green Business Certification program, a program designed to distinguish Creve Coeur businesses and not-for-profits that are making meaningful efforts to reduce their environmental impacts. Both members dedicated countless hours to researching, planning, designing and implementing this new program, which they hope will bring greater awareness to the benefits of green business practices.

“Joe Martinich and Mike Barzoff see Creve Coeur’s potential as an environmental leader,” said Mayor Glantz. “Thanks to their hard work and consideration put into the Green Business Certification program, we are closer to seeing their vision become reality.”

Martinich, who joined the Energy and Environment Committee in 2015, has lived in Creve Coeur for 40 years and, for an equal number of years, has worked at the University of Missouri–St. Louis as Professor Emeritus of Supply Chain Management.

“Joe’s leadership of the Energy and Environment Committee has been nothing short of spectacular from the beginning,” said Council Member Alexis Travers, the Council Liaison for the Energy and Environment Committee. “He has encouraged and supported the committee to achieve several great milestones, most recently the guidelines the city is adopting for renovations and new construction.”

Barzoff has resided in Creve Coeur for the past 13 years and is the newest appointed member to the Energy and Environment Committee. Previously, he worked for Creve Coeur-based agtech company Monsanto (now Bayer), and later worked for Solutia as Director of Information Technology, Business Applications.

“While Mike’s tenure on the committee has been brief, his ideas and dedication have been plentiful,” said Travers. “Mike jumped right in even before he was made an official member and attended the meetings and brought a creative and unique perspective and fresh ideas.”