Former Rep. Tricia Derges has Humanitarian of the Year award stripped after conviction

Galen Bacharier, Springfield News-Leader
·2 min read
Dr. Tricia Derges listens to a patient's chest at the Lift Up Springfield medical clinic on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. Derges was named the 2018 Humanitarian Award recipient for her work with Lift Up Springfield.
Dr. Tricia Derges listens to a patient's chest at the Lift Up Springfield medical clinic on Friday, Dec. 14, 2018. Derges was named the 2018 Humanitarian Award recipient for her work with Lift Up Springfield.

A regional nonprofit has rescinded its annual Humanitarian of the Year honor awarded to former Rep. Tricia Derges, who was convicted earlier this year on 22 federal charges.

Derges, a Republican from Nixa who resigned from the House in July, received the award in 2018 from the Community Foundation of the Ozarks for her nonprofit medical center work in southwest Missouri.

Derges was found guilty in June of wire fraud, illegal distribution of controlled substances and making false statements to investigators surrounding her ownership and operation of those medical clinics.

The Community Foundation of the Ozarks confirmed in a statement the award had been rescinded after its board of directors voted unanimously to do so last month.

"The decision is based on a board-adopted policy that awards and honors may be revoked if the recipient 'has been convicted of a criminal offense or confirmed to have engaged in unethical conduct, whereby the ongoing association with the recipient will negatively reflect on the CFO,'" the statement said.

More: Rep. Tricia Derges resigns from Missouri House after being convicted of 22 federal charges

The award is given annually to those who have "the courage to take decisive action, the wisdom to face aggressive challenges, and the willingness to sacrifice to affect these causes that have a long-term impact on the betterment of the community." Winners receive a $5,000 cash award that is generally donated to a charity of choice.

The Humanitarian of the Year award has recently been bestowed upon Steve Edwards, the recently retired CEO of CoxHealth, and Dr. Robin Trotman, an infectious diseases specialist. In a list of winners dating back to 1990, no other recipient has had the award rescinded.

Derges, who is set to face sentencing later this year, has sought to sell her medical equipment and the lease of her Springfield-based Ozark Valley Medical Clinic. She was also stripped of her honor as an outstanding alumnus at her high school, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported last month.

Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Tricia Derges stripped of humanitarian award by regional nonprofit