WHAT IS THE AWARD?

The Outstanding Young St. Louisans Award recognizes those individuals between the ages of 21 and 39 who have demonstrated exceptional personal and professional accomplishment on the local, state, national or international level. The emphasis of the award is not to recognize any single accomplishment, but to recognize those who have balanced personal and professional achievement with service to the community or to humanity.

The St. Louis Junior Chamber has made this award since 1935 in recognition of those who excel on both a personal and civic level early in their lives. We feel that those who can demonstrate achievement on both the personal and civic levels are truly worthy of recognition. Many past Outstanding Young St. Louisans are now well recognized for their leadership and accomplishments. While this award does not assure greatness, our track record could lead one to conclude that this award recognizes certain qualities common to all great leaders.

The Outstanding Young St. Louisans are nominated to the national Ten Outstanding Young Americans competition, sponsored by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce.

HISTORY OF THE AWARD

The Outstanding Young St. Louisans tradition began in the 1920's with the recognition of community leaders with Distinguished Service Awards. The DSA's were often, but not necessarily always, directed toward young leaders. These awards usually recognized one recipient per year.

In 1934, the St. Louis Junior Chamber of Commerce awarded its first recorded Outstanding Young Man award to Alfred Fleishman for his civic accomplishments. Over the last 61 years, many future St. Louis leaders received the Outstanding Young St. Louisans award including KMOX Chief Bob Hyland, Mayor A.J. Cervantes, Senator John Danforth, Senator Thomas Eagleton, The Honorable Richard Gephardt and Leonard Slatkin.  

Beginning in 1938, The United States Junior Chamber of Commerce began an annual awards program, Ten Outstanding Young Americans. Over the years, the national award has been awarded to over 500 who achieved much before the age of forty, such as: Presidents John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Gerald Ford, George Stephanopoulos, Dan Quayle, Gale Sayers, Kathryn D. MacArthur, Arthur Ashe, Chuck Yeager, Gus Grissom, John Hersey, Howard Hughes, Ralph Nader, Henry Ford II, Bill Moyers and Elvis Presley.

Past Outstanding Young St. Louisans