2017 Distinguished Citizen - Ray Schwenk
Submitted by Kristen Schwenk on Mon, 10/16/2017 - 12:11JASPER® would like to extend a sincere congratulations to Ray Schwenk, who was honored with the 2017 Distinguished Citizen Award at this year’s Boy Scouts DCA Banquet.
Ray is someone who continuously lives by the Boy Scout laws and values every day and JASPER® is blessed to have him as an Associate-Owner for over 40 years.
Congratulations, Ray! This award was much deserved.
Ray Schwenk is an Eagle Scout and has been for nearly 50 years. He earned Scouting’s top rank, in 1968, from Precious Blood Catholic Church, where he was a member of Troop 183 and Explorer Post 183. As an adult, he served as Assistant Scoutmaster for the Troop.
Ray graduated from Jasper High School in 1970 and attended Indiana State University, where he earned a teaching degree and a business minor. He taught school in Vincennes, IN, for three years before joining Jasper Engines & Transmissions.
Ray has been employed by Jasper Engines and Transmissions for over 40 years. He has helped JASPER® grow from a regional company with 12 branch locations into a nationally respected organization with 45 branch locations, two distribution centers, five remanufacturing facilities and multiple divisions. Ray was actively involved in the 2010 transition to a 100% Associate Owned Company. He currently serves as the Treasurer and Plan Administrator for the JET 401(k) Plan.
Over the years, Ray has served the Boy Scouts of America in numerous capacities. He is currently an Advisory Board Member for the Buffalo Trace Council and was an Executive Board Member of the Council for 10 years. He also served as a District Committee Member for the Lincoln Heritage District for two years and as a Council Member at large of Buffalo Trace Council for one year. He has played an instrumental role in providing Scout Handbooks to new Boy Scouts in the spring, courtesy of Jasper Engines & Transmissions, and has lent his support to the last two Jamboree Committees for the Council, as well as assisting the Buffalo Trace Council in a number of other ways. In 2010, he made a trek to Canada with Holy Family Church Venturing Crew 185 and served as Chaplain Aide. All of the boys with him on the trek earned their Duty to God Award. In 2011, the Buffalo Trace Council honored Ray with a Silver Beaver Award. The Silver Beaver is an award given to those who implement the Scouting program and perform community service through hard work, self-sacrifice, dedication, and many years of service. It is given to those who do not seek it.
Outside of Scouting, Ray has served on the Jasper Junior Achievement Board and currently serves on the boards of Dubois County Community Foundation, Providence Home/Cathedral Health, and Anderson Woods, Inc. He is a Religious Education Teacher and Hospitality minister for Precious Blood Church and has served on various church committees.
Ray says, “My father, mother, and family set an example for me to give back to the community. Endowing our community’s future is the responsibility we have for the future of our children and youth.”
