The Mesquite Rotary Club inducted another outstanding citizen into the Mesquite Rotary Grove of Honor at the site in DeBusk Park, adjacent to the Kidsquest playground, on October 28th. Former Mesquite Mayor and longtime community volunteer George A. Venner, Sr. was inducted for 2025.
George Venner is a longtime, active resident of Mesquite who is a successful business leader and active community volunteer. He was a Charter Member and president of the Mesquite Jaycees, earning the first distinguished service award given by the City of Mesquite. He coached youth sports, and supported the Boy Scouts and the YMCA. He served on the City Hospital Authority Board, and gave his time to causes like the Heart Fund, United Way, the Cancer Crusade, and the SMU Sustentation Fund. He also served as president of the Mesquite High School Booster Club for two years.
He was elected Mayor in 1987 to help steer the town into a new era. The city’s staff of employees had grown, and they were scattered around in a dozen locations around town. Venner had the vision in 1988 to solve that problem at a minimum cost. He approached the owner of the 50,000 square-foot medical office building at 1515 North Galloway, and convinced them to donate the land and to sell the building to the city. That became the city municipal center that is now named for him.
In 1987 he led the search to find a property that could be developed into an arts center. He was able to engineer the acquisition of a former hospital building next door to the municipal center. The existing spaces were completely remodeled, and new spaces were built onto it to create the Mesquite Arts Center.
In 1988, he organized Keep Mesquite Beautiful, Inc., and served as the chairman of their board. It earned the Governor’s Community Achievement Award in 1990. Other notable programs that Venner helped guide included community events like Christmas in the Park, the Community Public Health Clinic, the Rutherford Recreation Center and Senior Center, and the Mesquite Police Department’s first K-9 Program. In 1988, he was honored with the “Citizen of the Year” award.
He and his wife Pat delivered food for Meals on Wheels for over 20 years. As president of the Mesquite Chamber of Commerce Mustangers, he was honored as the “Mustanger of the Year.” Venner served as president of many organizations, and as a board member for the board of Nomads, First Interstate Bank, and the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission, having been appointed to that body by Governors Bush and Perry. And, President Obama presented him with the President’s Voluntary Service Award for his continued service to many organizations.
So, although his term of Mayor ended back in in 1991, Venner has remained quite active in the community. He has also served his church, First Presbyterian Church of Mesquite, as a Deacon, Elder, Trustee, and on numerous Committees there. His numerous contributions to the community make him an ideal person to add to the roster at the Mesquite Rotary Club’s Grove of Honor.