Gene Glasco Named Arcadia’s Citizen of the Year

Gene Glasco has earned the “trifecta” this year with recognition from federal, state and local level awards. – Courtesy photo

Gene Glasco, Arcadia City Clerk and Founder of the Arcadia Vietnam War Monument Memorial, was recently honored as “Arcadia Citizen of the Year” at the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce’s  2017-2018 Installation of Board of Directors Dinner held last March 29 at Santa Anita Park.

With the San Gabriel Mountains providing a majestic backdrop, Gene was awarded a beautiful plaque from Chamber CEO, Karen McNair. It reads: “Arcadia Citizen of the Year Presented to Gene Glasco- -For Years of Service and Selfless Contributions to This Community.” Glasco received additional plaques and certificates from Arcadia Mayor Tom Beck, Debra Mendelsohn, Senior Deputy for Los Angeles County Supervisor Katheryn Barger and Adam Hsu, Field Representative for California State Assembly member Ed Chau who also presented a Certificate of Congressional Recognition from Congresswoman Judy Chu.

Glasco, a sixty-three year Arcadia resident, gave his acceptance speech to about 150 chamber members and friends. He talked about his youth in Arcadia and made a few humorous comments about his city council associates.  He poignantly shared with the audience his motivation for building the Arcadia Vietnam War Memorial Monument in honor of fourteen Arcadia servicemen (two of them classmates) who were casualties of the war in Vietnam and how the community came together to help him raise the funds in just seven months to build it. Gene has earned the “trifecta” this year with recognition from federal, state and local level awards. He was recognized as “Community Activist of the Year” at Congresswoman Judy Chu’s 7th Annual Congressional Leadership Awards last July and recently assisted her office in interviewing and nominating several candidates to the United States Military Academies at Annapolis and West Point. Last December Glasco was given California State Assembly member Ed Chau’s “Make A Difference” award in recognition of Gene’s outstanding commitment and service to the community of the 49th Assembly District.

Glasco’s community service includes: Past Ambassador, Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, Commissioner and Chair of the Arcadia Senior Citizen Commission, President, Arcadia Historical Society (4 years), Vice President-Arcadia Highlands Homeowners Association, Arcadia Police Department Volunteer In Patrol Service (9 years). Gene is the City of Arcadia elected City Clerk and was re-elected to a second term last April. Interestingly, he is Arcadia’s only City Clerk that is also a graduate of Arcadia High School.

In addition to his service to the City of Arcadia, Glasco’s other affiliations include: the Arcadia Elks Lodge where his father was a Charter Member, Member-California Sheriff’s Association, Member-Marine Memorial Club, Life Member of the Arcadia/Monrovia Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2070, Life Member Disabled American Veterans, Member of the Los Angeles American Legion Post 628, Director of the Vietnam Unit Memorial Monument Foundation Coronado, CA and Life Member/ President of Gamewardens of Vietnam WCC, the oldest continuously operating Vietnam veterans organization in the United States. Gene is a Realtor at Dilbeck Real Estate Services in Arcadia.