A Eureka resident who typically works behind the scenes was brought out to center stage, and a business owner whose products trumpets other businesses received a ringing endorsement himself.
BJ Hillermann, 54, was named the Eureka Citizen of the Year, and Eddie Buck, 59, who owns Eureka Sign and Display, was named the Eureka Businessperson of the Year.
The two were honored during Eureka Days on Oct. 1 with special spots in the annual parade and during an awards ceremony.
The city of Eureka bestows the Citizen of the Year honor annually, and the Eureka Chamber of Commerce annually names a Businessperson of the Year.
“BJ does a lot of things under the radar that people don’t see and realize what he does. He is a huge part of the community, always volunteering, giving back,” said Chuck Maher, who is the chamber president and owns Realty Executives Premiere.
“(Buck) just always goes above and beyond what we (the chamber, which uses Buck’s company for its printing needs) ask. He is just a logical choice to use for all the businesses here in Eureka.”
Maher nominated Hillermann for the citizens’ award. Parks and Recreation Department coordinator Lizzie Roberds said Hillermann was the only nominee this year.
Buck was nominated by Phil Zimmerman, the 2020 Businessperson of the Year winner and manager of the Culver’s restaurant in Eureka, chamber executive director Krista Overstreet said. She said four business owners were nominated for the award this year.
Hillermann
Hillermann moved to Eureka in August 2005 and has been vice president and branch manager at Farmers and Merchants Bank for nine years.
He played a large role in nominating potential recipients of the Citizen of the Year award, but this year when city employees approached him for nominations, he struggled to provide a name.
Fortunately, Maher stepped in and nominated the nominator.
“It was a pleasant surprise,” Hillermann said. “It’s something that was unexpected.”
He said a job he enjoys and good education for his children have kept him in Eureka.
Hillermann has three children, Clayton, 26, Emma, 23, and Rylee, 14.
He also is the president of the Eureka Lions Club, a member of the Elks Lodge and part of the Eureka chamber.
He said he enjoys being part of the organizations, and he said he has found his six-year membership with the Lions Club to be very rewarding.
“Every dollar that they raise, they turn around and donate that to a charitable cause,” Hillermann said. “It was an easy decision to join and get involved.”
Buck
Buck said he didn’t believe he was named the Businessperson of the Year when he was first informed of the honor.
“At first I thought it was a gag,” he said. “I don’t think in terms of awards.”
Once he found out it was not a joke, he said he was “flattered and humbled.”
“Then kind of stunned,” he said.
Buck said his sign-production career started when he was 13 years old and he would pinstripe and letter cars by hand. He said he learned more about the business on the fly.
“I would just seek out people in the business and bug them until they showed me how to do it, or I would just do it until I figured out how to do it.”
Buck opened Fast Eddie Signs in 1981 and sold it in 1986. A few years later, he got that business back when the new owner defaulted on the loan.
Buck then renamed the operation Eureka Outdoor Advertising, but changed the name again in 1997 to Eureka Sign and Display.
Buck said he operated the sign company out of his former home in Hoene Springs, but in 2005, moved the business into Eureka. The company is at 134 S. Virginia Ave.
He said his business does a bit of everything, including signs, car wraps, wide format printing, banners and signs.
“I like the creativity and I also like the fact that it pays for my dragsters, my race cars,” said Buck, who lives in Eureka. “I got into this business to be around cars.”
Buck said he has four restored race cars.
Buck said his business has two employees and is hiring more right now.
Buck has four children, including Megan Leupchman, Kevin Buck, 17, who died in a car accident in 2010; Kody Woods, 21, and Spencer Buck, 18.
He is married to Chrissy Buck.
