By TIM ROWDEN
Editor-in-Chief
St. Louis – The St. Louis Port Council honored Labor, business and civic leaders at its Seventh Annual Golf Outing and Awards dinner Sept. 28 at the Courses at Forest Park clubhouse.
The evening’s honorees included:
- Mark Johnson, former president of CWA 6300 and Dardenne Prairie Ward 3 alderman, who received the Jack Martorelli Leadership Award.
- Nick Trupiano, retired UFCW Local 655 representative and St. Peters 4th Ward alderman, who received the Dick Mantia Leadership Award.
- Bart Saracino, owner of Bartolino’s South, who received the Able Helmsman Award.
- George Kerry, retired legislative consultant to the archbishop of St. Louis, former special project manager for St. Louis Development Corporation, and former administrative assistant to Congressman Dick Gephardt, who received a Lifetime Achievement Award.
For those unfamiliar with the Port Council, President John Stiffler offered an overview:
“We are affiliated with the AFL-CIO Maritime Trades Department, which consists of 21 port and maritime councils, along with 21 international unions representing almost five million workers in the United States and Canada,” Stiffler said.
“We promote and protect workers’ rights. We work to ensure that a rising tide lifts all boats. And we all hold together to keep the American Dream alive, so that working families have an opportunity for a better life,” Stiffler concluded before presenting the first award of the evening, the Able Helmsman Award.
ABLE HELMSMAN: BART SARACINO
Stiffler described Saracino as a civic leader “great friend to many.”
Saracino grew up in the restaurant business. His father, Bart Sr., opened Lacino’s in 1961 with his father-in-law Nick LaFata. He and his wife Roseanne opened Bartolino’s in 1969.
Bart Saracino and his brothers all started in the restaurant business with their parents at an early age. Bartolino’s South opened in 1978, Chris’ Pancake and Dining opened in 1987 and Chris’ @ the Docket opened in 2017.
Saracino has been involved with the Missouri Restaurant Association, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Hampton-Tower Grove Kiwanis Club, PALS animal shelter and rescue and numerous other organizations. He is a member of St. Raphael’s parish, has been married to his wife, Linda for 40 years and has three married children and six grandchildren.
JACK MARTORELLI LEADERSHIP AWARD: MARK JOHNSON
Johnson began his career as a union member of Communications Workers of America (CWA) working for Southwestern Bell Telephone in 1977. He became a union steward in 1978 while fighting to defeat so-called “right-to-work,” and continued in a union leadership role, becoming an executive officer with CWA Local 6310, then merging with CWA Local 6320, which became CWA Local 6300.
Johnson served 27 years as an executive officer of CWA and president of the CWA City Council. He retired in 2022 after serving as president of Local 6300, and with more than 45 years as a union member.
Johnson served as an executive board member of the Missouri AFL-CIO, St. Louis Labor Council, Tri-County Labor Club, St. Louis Port Council, St. Louis United Way and the Mary Ryder Home. He continues to be affiliated with the St. Louis Port Council and St. Louis Labor Council.
After retiring, Johnson was elected alderman for the city of Dardenne Prairie and appointed as a director for St. Charles County Ambulance District, continuing to work for union members.
DICK MANTIA LEADERSHIP AWARD: NICK TRUPIANO
Trupiano began his career in the grocery business in 1972 with National Foods and in 1973 moved on to Schnucks Markets, where he worked for 20 years.
In 1993, he became a staff member with United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 655, where he held the positions of organizing director, director of the professional division and political director. As organizing director, he was instrumental in organizing 1,600 nurses, 80 Wonder Bread workers and 100 Daddy Rays cookie factor workers. He retired from Local 655 in 2017.
In 2018, Trupiano was elected alderman in St. Peters, Mo., and in 2022 was elected president of the board.
He serves as a member of the Tri-County Labor Club executive board, the St. Louis Port Council and St. Louis Labor Council.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: GEORGE KERRY
Kerry was born and raised in south St. Louis. His father was a member of the Teamsters for 35 years, and he has always been proud of his affiliation with Labor unions.
He attended parochial grade and high schools and graduated from St. Louis University in 1967. Shortly thereafter, Kerry entered the U.S. Army for service in Vietnam, where he earned a Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal.
A true patriot, Kerry spent nearly his entire employment career in public service with the Veterans Administration, as administrative assistant to Congressman Dick Gephardt, and the St. Louis Development Corporation.
In his final 10 years of employment, he served as legislative consultant to Archbishop Robert Carlson.
A devoted Catholic, Kerry is a member of St. Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church and has served numerous Catholic organizations, including as president of the Serra Club of St. Louis, White House Retreat Board, Respect Life Apostolate Board and the Missouri Catholic Conference.
Kerry has been married to his wife, Ann, for 52 years. They have two adult children and three grandchildren.
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