Members of multiple generations of the Berger family, owners of the Berger Company in Atchison, will be honored as recipients of the Cray-Seaberg Vision of Excellence Award during a ceremony on Saturday, Aug. 4, at the historic Santa Fe Depot, 200 South Tenth Street, in Atchison. 

The event will begin with a reception at 5:30 p.m. followed by a presentation ceremony recognizing outstanding dedication and service provided to the local community by A.C. Robert "Bob" Berger, his son, Rick, and Rick's son, Reed. Guest speakers will include U.S. Senator Pat Roberts and U.S. Representative Lynn Jenkins.

The Vision of Excellence Award was established by the Santa Fe Depot's Board of Trustees in 2014 as a way to honor individuals and families who demonstrate extraordinary foresight and commitment in helping create progressive opportunities for the betterment of the overall community. It is named in recognition of outstanding community leadership exemplified by the award’s first recipients, Cloud L. “Bud” Cray, Chairman Emeritus of MGP Ingredients, Inc., his late wife, Sally, current MGP Board Chairman Karen Seaberg, her late husband and former MGP Chairman and CEO Ladd Seaberg, and other members of the Cray and Seaberg families.

"The Berger family has long personified this mission by leading seemingly countless community enhancement initiatives, as well as through philanthropic support," said Jonathan Mize, chairman of the depot's board.

Bob Berger is retired chairman of the board of directors of the Berger Company, a leading leather and textile supplier, which he founded in 1973. He previously owned and operated Atchison Leather Products Co., which was started by his father, the late A.C. Berger, in 1908 and subsequently became a division of the Berger Company.

Before joining his father's business in 1951, and after earning a degree in petroleum engineering from the University of Oklahoma, Bob served in the U.S. Air Force and worked as a petroleum engineer in Houston. Upon his return to Atchison, he began his many decades of active involvement serving and leading numerous community organizations, groups and projects.

Through the years, Bob has served in several volunteer leadership capacities for the YMCA, Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, Santa Fe Depot Board of Trustees, Atchison Area United Way, Boy Scouts of America, Amelia Earhart Festival and Courtney S. Turner Charitable Foundation Advisory Committee.

Bob has also been a member of several other organizations, including the Atchison Rotary Club, Atchison Elks, American Legion, Bellevue Country Club and Pineview Country Club.

Rick Berger, who serves as president and CEO of the Berger Company, has energetically continued the family legacy of supporting and leading the efforts of several community-oriented organizations and initiatives. He currently is a member of the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City and is a former board member of the Atchison YMCA where he helped spearhead the successful multi-million dollar building renovation and expansion project that was completed last year.

Like both his father and grandfather, Rick has been president of the Atchison Rotary Club, and is also a founding member and past president of the Atchison Rotary Foundation. He is chairman of the Atchison Hospital Foundation and a former longtime member and past chairman of the hospital's board of directors. He additionally is a current board member and founding member and past chairman of the Atchison Area Economic Development Corporation.

Heavily involved in scouting since childhood, Rick currently sits on the board of the Pony Express Council of the Boy Scouts of America, is former chairman of the Kanza District Friends of Scouting, and has received an array of local, district and regional awards recognizing his service to youth through boys' and girls' scouting programs.

Rick also serves as a local advisory board member for a number of foundations, including the Courtney S. Turner Charitable Trust, Guy I. Bromley Residuary Trust, and the Exchange Bank/Adair Family Foundation, and is co-trustee of the Pratt Family Charitable Foundation. He additionally was a member of the board of the Atchison Salvation Army, a past drive chairman for the Atchison Area United Way, a member of the Atchison Elks, and a former board member and officer of Bellevue Country Club.

Rick's entire business career has been spent with the Berger Company, which he joined full-time in December of 1979 after completing studies for a juris doctorate degree at Washburn University Law School. He previously received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Kansas State University in 1977.

Reed Berger went to work at his family's company in 2006, serving as chief operating officer, after earning dual degrees in business management and operations management at Kansas State University that same year.

Following in his father's, grandfather' and great-grandfather's footsteps, Reed also has served as president of the Atchison Rotary Club, has been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, and is a strong supporter of the YMCA in Atchison, where he serves as annual campaign chairman. He is a former board member of Clubs for Kids and the local Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, and, similar to his father, remains very active in Boy Scouts of America programs.

Reed additionally serves on the board of the Atchison Rotary Club Foundation, is vice president of the Atchison Amelia Earhart Foundation and a member of the Atchison Elks.

Among their numerous community enrichment undertakings, the Bergers and their company were instrumental in helping spearhead successful efforts in the late 1980s to convert the Santa Fe Depot from a closed down railroad freight station into a major, highly used center of activity for local inhabitants and tourists alike. Following significant upgrades, the 138-year-old Depot became home to the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, the Atchison Visitors Center and the Atchison County Historical Society Museum. The Depot hosts thousands of guests annually, along with community-oriented meetings, forums, seminars and other events of public interest.

Funds raised through events associated with the Cray-Seaberg Vision of Excellence Award go toward future embellishments and improvements to the Depot, thus helping perpetuate a prominent symbol of visionary endeavors beneficial to Atchison and the surrounding region.

For more information about the 2018 Vision of Excellence Award event, including tickets and reservations, persons may contact the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce by calling 913-367-2427.