We are excited to share with you our award winners for our event, Strengthening Democracy Awards! If you still need to purchase tickets for our event, you can do that here!
First up is our Outstanding Neighborhood Leader, Don Preister. Don was reelected in 2012 after being appointed to represent Ward 5 on the City Council in August 2009. Previously, he served sixteen years in the Nebraska Unicameral Legislature, representing part of Bellevue and South Omaha. He was a key player in the effort to create the new Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home located in Bellevue.
Don is a past Omaha Deputy City Clerk and for ten years worked at Boys’ Clubs of Omaha. He served with distinction in the US Army Medical Corps, including the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1967-68. With his close friend, Mary Ann Krzemien, Don founded his current business, Joy Creations Greeting Cards, in 1988.
Preister, a life long Nebraskan, has owned property and lived in north Bellevue since 1977. He is a graduate of St. Francis Assisi Elementary school, Omaha South High and the University of Nebraska Omaha. His civic involvement includes a 35 year membership in Optimist International; 16 years as Chairman of the South Omaha Environmental Task Force; Founder and 12 year board member of the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance; Salvation Army Bell Ringer; Sierra Club and the Q Merchants. For leisure, he enjoys family gatherings, friends, running, biking, gardening and riding his horse.
Councilman Preister serves on the following city committees: Legislative, Vehicle Parking Ordinance, Public Comment Policy, Tree Board, Complete Streets and is Chairman of the Green Bellevue Committee, Audit Committee.
We are excited to award Don for his continued involvement and advocacy for neighborhood work!
