Jim Boltz, Vogel Disposal honored by Moraine Trails Council
CRANBERRY TWP — Jim Boltz was on vacation in North Carolina on Thursday evening, June 6, but in spirit, he was in Cranberry Township.
Boltz, president of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber, was honored as 2024’s Distinguished Citizen by the Moraine Trails Council at its annual ceremony, held at the Pittsburgh Marriott North in Cranberry Township.
This was the 15th annual Distinguished Citizen ceremony held by the Moraine Trails Council, a local council of the Boy Scouts of America.
Boltz has served as the president of the chamber since 2014. During his tenure, the chamber expanded its footprint from the Cranberry/Wexford area into Zelienople and experienced substantial growth in membership with an average of 140 new members per year. Boltz was also cited for his role in managing the Cranberry Farmers’ Market and Holiday Village events for the chamber, both of which pull in thousands of visitors each year.
Largely due to Boltz’s influence, the Pittsburgh North Chamber was named one of the top three chambers of commerce in the United States by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in 2021.
Boltz could not attend the reception in person, as he had already booked a family vacation to North Carolina’s Outer Banks region which could not be moved. However, he did appear in the form of a pre-recorded video message.
“To receive an award from the Scouts means a lot to me. I am honored and humbled,” Boltz said on video. “Scouting programs teach leadership, citizenship and life skills that are all essential to be successful in today's world.”
Two members of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber accepted the trophy on Boltz’s behalf: Denise Martin, director of partnerships and development, and former board leader Lisa Hunt. Bob Bowell, vice president of NexTier Bank, presented the trophy to Martin and Hunt.
“He's developed programs that have engaged our nonprofits. He kept the chamber open during the pandemic to make sure that we were there as a resource for the businesses and the people in the community,” Hunt said. “It's really truly a labor of love for him, and he's just really built his career around trying to give back.”
“He's combined his life and his work here in the region with the qualities that a good Scouting young man or woman would have,” Martin said.
Boltz’s was not the only award presented Thursday evening. The first award, for Company of the Year, was presented to Mars-based Vogel Disposal Service, which has been in business since 1958.
Millie Pinkerton, the 2023 Distinguished Citizen winner, presented the Company of the Year award to the Vogel family, who were cited for maintaining and expanding their local family business for three generations while employing hundreds of local personnel.
“I think it's great that my parents were honored for everything they’ve done for the past 66 years,” said company vice president Ed Vogel Jr. “We’ve always tried to do the right thing.”
“We don't take time often to recognize people who help better lives in our community, and tonight was a night focused on doing just that,” said Moraine Trails Council president David Spigelmeyer. “So Jim Boltz and Vogel Disposal are both very worthy recipients who have helped lift our entire community in northern Pittsburgh.”
