The Batavia Chamber of Commerce has named Robert Hansen as its 2020 Citizen of the Year for his “all hands-on” approach as a community volunteer.
“Whatever he jumps into, he goes in with full force and with determination that he is going to get something accomplished,” Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke said.
Along with being involved in community boards and community organizations over the decades, Hansen become known for his involvement in special events and projects including “Post to Present: Celebrating 60 Years of Skating in Batavia.”
The event celebrated the 60th anniversary of the release of artist John Falter’s illustration of “Fox River Ice Skating” in Batavia that graced the cover of The Saturday Evening Post on Jan. 11, 1958.
Hansen, owner of Funway Entertainment Center in Batavia, headed the committee that organized the Jan. 6, 2018, event.
Hansen came to Batavia 32 years ago and raised his three children in Batavia. He is currently president of the Batavia MainStreet group’s board of directors.
The mayor in his statement described Hansen as “an all-hands on” and “visionary” volunteer in all the work he does to help Batavia.
Around this time every year a committee of past recipients selects a Batavia Citizen of the Year through a review of nominations from the community.
Rob Hollis, co-owner of K. Hollis Jewelers in Batavia, in his nomination letter to the Batavia Chamber of Commerce described Hansen as “one of the most community-oriented” individuals he has ever known.
Hansen has become known as the builder of Batavia’s Boardwalk Shops that opened in mid-June. The tiny cottage-style shops at 114 E. Wilson St. were a cooperative effort between Batavia MainStreet and the city of Batavia. The shops were designed as a destination place for shoppers and a business incubator for up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
“Bob is one of the main contributors and a major driving force behind the idea, planning, construction and operations of the very successful Batavia Boardwalk Shops that opened in the height of the pandemic,” Marcia Boyce said in her nomination letter to the Chamber of Commerce.
Hansen was taken by surprise when Schielke informed him that he was named this year’s Citizen of the Year.
“I thought, wow, it can’t be me,” he told The Beacon-News.
Hansen noted that Batavia Ald. Marty Callahan came up with the idea for the Boardwalk Shops to bring people to the downtown.
“It was about a year ago that we decided to build the shops. It took a large crew and six months to build them,” he said. “It’s an incubator business start-up program and several businesses have moved on.”
He was on the chamber board when he suggested the annual Windmill City Fest Pet Parade. Hansen initiated “Socks with Santa” this year that involved assembling stockings for Santa to give away.
“To sum up, Bob is one of the best humans I know,” Hollis wrote in his nomination letter.
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