Baglier, Geibel receive Distinguished Service Awards
PENN TWP — Dennis Baglier, president of Baglier Buick GMC, and Jeff Geibel, a financial adviser at Edward Jones in Butler, were honored Wednesday, May 3, at the 72nd Distinguished Service Awards dinner at the Butler Country Club.
Each year the Distinguished Service Award for Butler County is presented to a junior and senior nominee, who are recognized for their exemplary contributions to the community. Winners are chosen by a selection committee of previous awardees, and nominees must live and work in the county. The event has been hosted by the Butler Eagle and Butler Rotary Club PM since the early 2000s.
“This award is one of the most prestigious awards given in Butler County,” said Millie Pinkerton, co-chairwoman of the award committee and member of the Butler Rotary Club PM.
Baglier was recognized as the senior winner, a category designated for nominees over age 45. Geibel was recognized as junior winner, for nominees age 45 or younger.
“The slogan for Rotary is ‘Service above self,’ and that’s exactly what this award represents,” Pinkerton said. “Tonight we have two really great awardees.”
Audrianna Bly, general manager of SpringHill Suites by Marriott Butler Centre City and the 2022 junior awardee, introduced Baglier as a selfless and humble asset to the community.
“Denny received the Selfless Servant of the Butler Community award in 2019 from the County of Butler for his efforts in restoring the Butler city neighborhood playgrounds with the Rotary club,” Bly said, “which includes Institute Hill, South Hills and Rotary Park.”
Baglier also has worked to restore the “Welcome to Butler” signs in town as well as helped to found Robin’s Home, which provides temporary housing for female veterans.
“For 25 years, his successful business — Baglier Buick GMC and Baglier Mazda — has raised funds for the Butler County Food Bank,” Bly said. “For the past 30 years, he has sponsored and participated in the Kids Fishing Tournament at Moraine State Park, now known as the John Baglier Memorial Fishing Tournament, that now benefits the Butler County Against Heroin and Stand Tall programs.”
The tournament is named in honor of Baglier’s son, who was abducted and murdered in 1996.
“I would like to read this excerpt from the nomination letter completed by Audray Muscatello Yost and Sam Zurzolo,” Bly said. “’He dives into each project with a smile on his face, with determination and without asking or wanting any recognition or thanks. Despite facing many tragedies in his life, Denny marches on.’”
Accepting the award, Baglier said the community, stories and friendships he has built in the county while volunteering have been reward enough.
“Basically what it’s all about is to do something that lasts hopefully for future generations,” Baglier said. “It’s also fun to go back to the playgrounds and see the families in the neighborhoods using the equipment and the shelters together. They’re proud of those places.”
Baglier and his employees also participate in the Strike Out Hunger bowlathon, United Way Day of Caring and road cleanups. He also provides scholarships to Butler High School and Shady Side Academy students in memory of his son, and supports the Butler County Community College.
“Some years ago, when the story got out that my son was taken, a search was planned,” Baglier said. “Hundreds of people showed up and eventually thousands showed up to help search. Most of those people didn’t know us. I was in business for 18 years then, but I wasn’t born here, didn’t grow up here, didn’t go to school here, didn’t play sports here.
“This community still saw someone who needed help and responded. I remember that; it’s the kind of thing that gets you through something like that. So what do you say to those people? Thank you.”
Tammy Schuey, Butler Eagle general manager and last year’s senior winner, introduced Geibel as a pillar of the county community.
“He started his career in 2008 and in 2019 with Edward Jones and established his office on Main Street in the city of Butler,” Schuey said. “As a certified financial planner, Jeff was recognized in 2021 with a client excellence award — an award he is most proud of because he was chosen by the clients he serves.”
Having become a staple of Main Street and downtown Butler, Schuey said Geibel sought a way to get involved with the community he served.
“Jeff got involved with Butler Downtown as soon as he opened his new office; his interest, though, started with the fact that he wanted a wooden Jeep — you know, the ones we display proudly around our businesses,” Schuey said. “But what Jeff found was that nobody was making the Jeeps anymore.”
Geibel immediately set to work filling that need, becoming both liaison and chief carpenter for the iconic Butler Jeeps, according to Schuey, and he still stores them in his office.
“Jeff became more involved with Butler Downtown and was elected president of the board in 2021, then continued for a second year in 2022,” Schuey said. “Jeff is credited with revitalizing the nonprofit group.”
Geibel is also responsible for saving the iconic snowflake lights in downtown Butler, Schuey said, beginning a two-year commitment to the project by fundraising for 20 new snowflake lights to adorn new light poles in the city.
“The second phase was to refurbish the 80 existing snowflakes,” she added. “Jeff took on making the connections and secured donations to sandblast, powder coat, rewire and rebulb the snowflakes so that when we drive down Main Street each holiday season, we get to enjoy them and they look fantastic.”
Geibel also was in the Pennsylvania National Guard from 1998-2008, serving as a sergeant with the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division in Iraq from 2004-05 and receiving the Combat Infantry Badge.
“Five years ago, I knew almost no one in this room,” Geibel said. “Today, I consider many of you my friends, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you. Looking around the room, there’s a tremendous amount of talent here tonight and a lot of dedication to this town.”
Geibel is also president-elect of the Butler AM Rotary Club, an active member of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce and a graduate of Leadership Butler County and serves on the advisory committee for Slippery Rock University’s SUCCEED center on Main Street — his alma mater.
“When I look through the booklet tonight, there’s so many names that I recognize, so many that I admire,” Geibel said. “But as an Iraq War veteran, one name stands out a little more than the rest, and that’s Abie Abraham.”
Abraham was the 2003 recipient of the senior award. A veteran of World War II, Abraham survived the Bataan Death March, Geibel said, and returned after the war to help identify the bodies of the fallen.
“Sixty years later, I came home from war and I met Abie — still giving back, still serving his country in this town at the Butler VA Medical Center,” Geibel said. “Just an incredible man. To even be considered for an award that you once honored Abie with, there’s no greater compliment you can give me.”
Ron Vodenichar, co-chairman of the committee and former Eagle publisher, emphasized the importance of carrying on service and recognition of service in the community for generations to come. He said the Distinguished Service Awards were an important part of remembering the good in the county.
“I want people to know I still believe in this community — I believe in how good the people in this community are, and it’s absolutely no question,” Vodenichar said. “Is there more good than bad? Absolutely, no question about it.”
