Above, Plover Village Administrator Dan Mahoney, PABA Past President Kathy Davies and PABA President Jeff Whitrock surround award winner PABA Citizen of the Year “Plover Joe” Radomski at the recent PABA Annual Dinner. (Contributed photo)

For the City-Times

Plover resident Joe Radomski, has been named as the Plover Area Business Association (PABA) 2014 Citizen of the Year.

Radomski was recognized at the recent PABA annual dinner.

‘Plover Joe”, the nickname that Radomski became affectionately known through the years, is a tribute to his service and leadership roles, first as fire department volunteer, then part-time fire chief and eventually as full-time fire chief in the Village of Plover Fire Department over a period of time that spanned from 1970 to 2003, including 29 years as fire chief.

During Radomski’s tenure as fire leader, Plover grew almost exponentially; creating both need and opportunity for public safety and the development of First Responder program, HAZMAT team development and several fire equipment upgrades and expansion, along with establishment of the Plover Municipal Center. His leadership always came with public safety and positive work environments for fire fighters and others around him in mind and he became widely known for the progressive nature and positive attitude that led him to leadership roles, including a stint as President of the Wisconsin State Fire Chief’s Association during the 1990’s.

Even in his retirement from the Plover Fire Department, Radomski has continued to serve his fel-low citizens, only recently retiring from a Village Board Trustee position.

The Portage Area Business Association (PABA) consists of nearly 200 area business members, dedicated to ‘foster and advance the business and community interests throughout the greater Plover area’.