Contributed photo

John Ruckel, seen here inside Congressman Pete Session’s office in Washington, D.C., is the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year.

Article By: Daily Sentinel, Josh Edwards Managing Editor- 

John Ruckel, the architect of the Lone Star Legislative Summit and longtime legislative advocate for Nacogdoches and the insurance industry, will be honored later this month as the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce’s Citizen of the Year.

He is the owner of Ruckel Insurance and has been involved in legislative issues since the early 1970s. Ruckel credits the award and his success to his wife.

“Deborah has been my partner the entire time,” he said. “This award and all my awards are as much about her as they are me.”

The award will be presented Sept. 24 during the chamber’s 102nd Annual Meeting & Membership Banquet at the Fredonia Hotel.

Ruckel began selling insurance to make ends meet while he was a student at Stephen F. Austin State University, and his legislative advocacy efforts essentially were born out of a chance encounter at a trade meeting.

Someone at the meeting asked if anyone knew state Rep. Don Adams of Jasper. Ruckel’s family had settled in Jasper, where his father drove a truck for Coca-Cola, and he roomed with Adams’ son while at SFA.

So he was drafted to go to the Texas Capitol. He was in awe from the first moment.

“People like John Ruckel didn’t go to the Capitol,” he said, noting his humble upbringing in post-World War II Jasper. “That was 1971, and I’ve never missed a session since.”

Ruckel’s also been a consistent presence in Washington, D.C. and is still a regional chairman and finance committee member for Sen. John Cornyn.

“Most people go to to see their congressman,” he said. “When I go to Washington, I go to see five or six congressmen.”

Through his legislative connections got Ruckel involved the chamber’s trips to Austin to advocate for Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Stephen F. Austin State University and led to the creation of the Lone Star Legislative Summit in 2006.

“It is now the largest gathering of the Texas Legislature outside of Austin. There’s no other gathering as big,” Ruckel said.

Ruckel has been a chamber member since early in his insurance career when he joined what is now known as the Chamber Ambassador program.

“I didn’t know anything about community involvement so I had to learn,” he said.

The Citizen of the Year award is sponsored by Tipton Ford.

Other award recipients included:

• West Fraser, Large Business of the Year, sponsored by R&K Distributors

• Badders Law Firm, Medium Business of the Year, sponsored by Regions Bank

• Ted Smith — State Farm Insurance, Small Business of the year, sponsored by Commercial Bank of Texas

• Federation of Women’s Clubs, Non Profit of the Year, sponsored by Charles Pool Real Estate

• State Rep. Travis Clardy, C. Wayne Mitchell Advocacy Award, Sponsored by Servpro

• C. Wayne Mitchell, Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by ServiceMaster Piney Woods

Tickets and sponsorships are available for the Sept. 24 banquet. Call 936-560-5533 for more information.