Missouri AFL-CIO President Hummel honored with Democrats’ Thomas Jefferson Award

‘Works tirelessly for Missouri’ working families’

“We can be optimistic about the upcoming elections if we get to work and turn out, and most importantly, if we talk to people and tell them the facts that President Biden’s agenda is nothing short of a game changer for working people in Missouri.”

With that emphasis, Missouri AFL-CIO President Jake Hummel, a member of IBEW Local 1, accepted the 2022 Thomas Jefferson Award from the St. Louis County Democrats at their 41st Annual Awards Gala on July 16.

Appearing on video because he was away, Hummel, in accepting the award, said the billions of dollars Missouri will be receiving from President Biden’s infrastructure plan “is a once-in-a-generation investment in Missouri” creating millions of man-hours of work for union members.

He urged the several hundred Democrats present to be proud of what Democrats are doing for Missouri and to take that message to all so that, “we send our Democratic representatives here in the Missouri Legislature and the Congress back to Washington” and hopefully increase Democratic majorities in Congress, and in Missouri to win seats to offset the anti-worker, Republican-controlled House and Senate.

OTHERS HONORED
Other honors included:
• Buzz Westfall Award to State Sen. Brian Williams, who represents the 14th Senate District in St. Louis County. Currently the minority floor leader, he is the first Black male to serve in the Missouri Senate in two decades.
• Tom Eagleton Grassroots Award to Tim Pawtowski and Angela Scales Reed for their tireless volunteer work on behalf of the Democratic Party and candidates.

‘WORKS TIRELESSLY’
Introducing Hummel and accepting the award on his behalf was former state Sen. Gina Walsh, the first woman apprentice in Insulators Local 1, former president of the Missouri State Building Trades Council and currently deputy director of the International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators Union Labor Management and Cooperative Trust (LMCT).

She outlined Hummel’s many accomplishments, which include years as Missouri AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer, Missouri state senator and representative and House minority leader. He is currently president of the Missouri Works Initiative, which is the Missouri AFL-CIO’s statewide workforce development program, part of the national AFL-CIO program.

“He works tirelessly for the working families of Missouri,” Walsh said.

The guest speaker was J.P. Johnson, director of Venture Café St. Louis, one of 11 such cafés across the globe working with innovators.

VENUE TO CONSIDER
The incredible dinner was held at the Laborers Local 110 LIUNA Event Center, 4532 S. Lindberg Blvd. The Center has its own chefs and waitstaff that create the meals on-site and provide outstanding service. Any group considering a major event should consider it as a prime candidate.