Recently, Elizabethtown College alumnus Howard “Hob” Kroesen received an award from the Elizabethtown Borough. Kroesen received the Vincent W. O’Connor Public Service award at the Elizabethtown Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner on Oct. 4. The award was presented by Borough President Marc Hershey.
The Vincent W. O’Connor Public Service Award is an award which is presented every year by the Elizabethtown Borough. The award is named after Vincent W. O’Connor, who was dedicated to public service until his passing in 1997. O’Connor was active on school boards both at Conoy Township and in the Elizabethtown Area. He was a member of Elizabethtown’s Borough Council for over 20 years, and served as mayor for six. He was involved in multiple programs that served the people of the Elizabethtown Area, and was named Citizen of the Year in 1995 by the Elizabethtown Loyal Order of the Moose.
The award has been given since O’Connor’s death in 1997, and has continued annually to honor his service. It’s a great honor to have an Etown alumnus recognized with this award.
The Elizabethtown Borough said, “Elizabethtown Borough extends our sincere appreciation to Hob for his extraordinary community service. Through the presentation of the 2021 Vincent O’Connor Public Service Award, we honor his generous gifts of time, talent, and treasure… and especially for his unwavering dedication to the betterment of the Elizabethtown community.”
Kroesen is an Elizabethtown native, who is an alumnus of both Elizabethtown Area High School and the College, where he got his degree in Business Administration. After graduation, Kroesen entered the computer service industry, which resulted in a successful career.
He has committed over 40 years of his life to Elizabethtown, and he participates in a number of organizations. Kroesen is a leader in community recreation planning, and participates in the planning of facilities that will help the community grow, whether it’s athletic facilities, community recreation activities or service events. Kroesen was heavily involved in the development of the Poplar Street Park in the Borough. The Poplar Street Park is home to many recreational facilities, and has a positive impact on the Elizabethtown Community. Kroesen also helped develop the Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation and Community Services (GEARS). GEARS offers fitness classes, discounted tickets to events, craft classes, a summer youth program and even a preschool.
All of these outreaches have caused immeasurable influence on the community, from children to adults. Through all of his work, Kroesen has been able to touch the lives of almost every member of the Elizabethtown community, though they may not realize it. Kroesen, a veteran of the United States Airforce, was also involved in the installation of the Veteran’s Memorial at the Elizabethtown Community Park.
Kroesen has also been extremely influential in wrestling in the Elizabethtown community. He competed as a high schooler, then later became a youth wrestling coach and an official. He has even been honored with the Lancaster-Lebanon League Outstanding Official Award. Kroesen is also a National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee and had a heavy hand in the process that allowed the College to host the NCAA Division III National Championships in 2015.
The College presented Kroesen with the 2019 “Educate for Service- Service to the College” Award. This award is one of the highest honors bestowed upon Etown alumni. It recognizes an alumni who presents the core of Elizabethtown College’s mission and their legacy. Kroesen exemplifies the College’s motto of “Educate for Service.”
Congratulations to Kroesen on his remarkable service and dedication to both the College and the Elizabethtown Area, and for being the recipient of the 2021 Vincent W. O’Connor Award.
