by Rachel Hunter
The St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee recently presented Ronald P. McDougall of Gouverneur with the Silas A. Wright Award, the highest honor bestowed up St. Lawrence County Democrats for their service to the community, the party, and upholding Democratic values.
The presentation was made by 2018 Silas Wright Award recipient Ernie LaBaff at the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee Annual Dinner on Oct. 19 at SUNY Potsdam.
Ron McDougall was born and grew up in Waddington, NY. After graduating from Madrid-Waddington Central School, Ron began work at the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center in 1967 before being hired in 1968 at General Motors Chevrolet Motor Division in Massena. Ron is married to Dede Scozzafava and resides in Gouverneur with a remote location of Sylvia Lake. Together, they have four children, Steven of Spreckles, Calif., Michelle of Waddington, Matthew of Macomb, and Molly of Massena.
As a General Motors employee and proud member of the UAW Local 465, Ron quickly rose through the Union Leadership ranks. As Plant Safety-Joint Programs Administrator and UAW leader, Ron learned the important partnership between organized labor and elected officials. It is safe to say that there is not a Statewide or National candidate for office who did not know Ron McDougall’ name when a trip to Northern New York was on the agenda. As a staunch advocate for organized labor, Ron was on the picket line for the previous UAW strikes, the initial one being in 1970 and supporting Union Brothers and Sisters in strikes and pickets throughout the state include the renown NYSUT Teachers strike in St. Regis Falls in 1980. This strike was one of the last public sector strikes in NY. Ron was on hand in 2009 as the UAW flag was lowered for the last time at Central Foundry/Castings in Massena.
Ron has served 38 years as the President of the Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties Trades and Labor Council. Ron is Co-chair and has been involved in the Massena Solidarity Day Parade since its inception in 1980. The Solidarity Parade is one of the largest Labor Day Parades in New York State. Ron currently serves as the President of UAW Local 465 Retiree Council in Massena and serves on the Region 9 UAW Board.
Currently in his 12th year as Mayor of Gouverneur, Ron is seeking his next term. He is a delegate to the New York State Democratic Committee from Assembly District 117 and serves as a Regional Vice-President to the Democratic Rural Caucus.
The St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee reports that Ron has always been a strong supporter of politicians who back organized labor and equal rights for all. A keen observer of politics and human nature, Ron rarely forgets a name, a face, or an interaction. It is those encyclopedic qualities that have made him a force in Northern New York politics for the past 50 years.
Ron McDougall now joins the elite list of Silas Wright award Recipients, which includes the following: Francis “Bill” Healey (1995), Betty Bradley (1996), Ruth F. Garner (1997), Donald Smith and Stanley Morrill (1998), Robin M. St. Andrews (1999), James J. McFaddin (2000), Mark Bellardini (2002), Katherine B. Reasoner (2003), Patrick Brady (2004), Walter Basmajian (2005), Don and Barbara Burns (2006), K. Daniel Haley (2007), Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Central Trades Labor Council (2008), Roger Sharlow (2009), June F. O’Neill (2010), Josie Catanzarite (2011), Keitha Arquiett (also recognized Ernie LaBaff) (2012), Marie Regan (2013), Sallie and Tom Brothers (2014), Frederick S. Morrill and Vernon “Sam” Burns (2015), Mark Bellardini (2016), Sylvia Kingston (2017), Ernie LaBaff (2018), The Democratic Family (2019), Eugene Nicandri (2022), and Ronald McDougall (2023). There were no recipients awarded in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
The St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee Annual Dinner also included a welcoming address, Pledge of Allegiance by Eric Yager (served as an officer in the United States Army from 2017-2018 rising from the rank of Specialist to Major), national anthem by the Madrid-Waddington choir, moment of remembrance by Zoey French of Madrid-Waddington Central School, Invocation and Benediction by Lay Pastor Martha Helmer of DeKalb Junction UMC, greetings by St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee Mike Zagrobelny, dinner, keynote address by Ken Tingley (author and retired editor of the Post-Star in Glens Falls), remarks by guest officials (Judith Hunter, Chair of the NYS DRC, and Carl A. Falotico, Supreme Court Justice Candidate) and concluding with the singing of “God Bless America”.
Many words of congratulations have been extended to Ron McDougall after he accepted the St. Lawrence County Democratic Party’s highest honor.
For more information on the St. Lawrence County Democratic Committee, visit stlcdemocrats.com