Lee County EDG dedicates space to Hecht

HONORED

What he was able to do for these people, he would be completely honored to know that he had this much of an impact that you all would think to name something after him.”

Audrey Roman, Phil Hecht's daughter

MONTROSE – The dedication of a conference room at the Lee County Economic Development Group’s center in Montrose got a little emotional for the family and staff at the center during a ceremony Friday afternoon.
The LCEDG dedicated one of the conference rooms in the center to Phil Hecht, who served on the group’s board of directors for many years. He died Sept. 23 of this year.
An apologetic Dennis Fraise paid tribute to Hecht’s years of service saying he would try to get through his speech without crying. Fraise said Hecht was not only a mentor to him after he took a marketing position with LCEDG, but the two became close friends.
“You should never apologize as a speaker, but I’m going to start with an apology, I might cry,” he said. “I’m not talking about a tear running down my cheek, but the I-can’t-talk cry.”
Fraise said Hecht was a tremendously important part of the resurgence of the economic group that is now in the process of becoming one of just 70 certified economic development groups in the country.
Fraise joined the group in October of 2013 and emailed Hecht saying he was interested in the position. He and former Marketing Director Dana Millard, who was in attendance at the dedication, were hired at the same time and both met with Hecht.
“He said something that day that became the guiding star that Dana and I chased,” Fraise said.
“He said 'we want Lee County Economic Development to become a world-class organization'. But what he didn’t tell us was that our relationships weren’t as good as they could have been.
“I had to really appreciate his honesty”
Fraise said with Hecht's influence, the board is a much better organization.
He said Hecht kind of became the Human Resources guy and spent a lot of time coaching Dennis and Dana in all aspects of their job.
“He was also a very good grammar police. I don’t know if you knew that, but Dana and I would both get emails where he was discouraged with our grammar use,” Fraise chuckled, and then pointed to Hecht’s family in front who were all nodding and laughing.
Hecht’s wife, Christine, and his daughter Audrey Roman and son Alan Hecht were all in attendance.
“He was never mean-spirited, but he always let us know we could do better,” Fraise said.
Hecht spent countless hours talking strategy with the LCEDG staff and honing their skills, Fraise said.
“He was generous with his time to a fault and always encouraged us. He pushed us and this organization to be better.”
Roman said after the dedication that her father would have been humbled by the fuss.
“Complelety honored, but to Dennis’ point, he was such a servant. He was so humble and he never wanted the glory,” she said.
“What he was able to do for these people, he would be completely honored to know that he had this much of an impact that you all would think to name something after him. ‘I did my part for this organization’ is what he would be thinking.”
Roman said her father was amazed at the growth that has taken place and was very proud of helping usher that in for the county. To have the organization recognized as one of 70 nationally accredited economic development groups would have been a pinnacle of that growth.
“But then he would have said, 'What’s next',” Roman said.
The conference room off the Grow Lee County hallway that looks out over the south part of the property was named the Phil Hecht Creative Collaboration Room. The plaque is in the LCEDG group’s green and blue color scheme and has Hecht’s board member photo on the lower right side.
The plaque reads “Phil embodied the role of servant leader. His dedication, passion, and leadership helped make Lee County EDG the organization it is today.”
Hecht was a retired veteran and worked for many years as part of Mt. Pleasant Heatilator’s leadership team. He retired in 2006 as a vice president with the company, which transitioned to Hearth and Home Technologies after 33 years.
In addition to his dedication to the LCEDG board, Hecht also served on the Southeastern Community College Foundation board and the Fort Madison Library board of trustees. His past community involvement included serving as a director with Great River Region Partnership, as a board member with Iowa Region 16 Workforce Development, and being president of both the Mt. Pleasant Area Manufacturers' Association and Henry County Area Junior Achievement.