Pestellos Receive Excellence in Community Leadership Award from Grand Center Arts District

Saint Louis University’s Fred P. Pestello, Ph.D., and Fran Pestello, Ph.D., have been recognized for their community leadership by the St. Louis region’s leading arts district.

A man and woman proudly display two awards, accompanied by two women, all smiling together in celebration.

SLU’s Fred and Fran Pestello pose for a photo with Grand Center President and CEO Peg Weathers and local broadcast legend Carol Daniel, who emceed the Sept. 20 gala. Photo courtesy of Grand Center Inc.

The Grand Center Arts District honored SLU’s president and inaugural presidential spouse during its 2024 gala, “A Grand Celebration,” on Sept. 20. The pair received the organization’s Excellence in Community Leadership Award.

Fran Pestello was noted for being a strong champion of the St. Louis Literary Award at Saint Louis University — one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious literary prizes — and for her efforts to connect the work of great authors to the broader community through an array of programs and initiatives.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to contribute to the flourishing arts scene through the support of the St. Louis Literary Awards, which is just one example of the world-class creative programming that happens right here in our neighborhood,” she said.

Fred Pestello was highlighted for strengthening the University’s longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and community engagement, as well as for leading SLU to become a driving force in the revitalization of Midtown St. Louis.

“When Fran and I arrived at SLU 10 years ago, it was clear to me how important it would be to build the University’s relationships with our neighbors in St. Louis and to invest in the neighborhoods surrounding our campuses,” he said. “Grand Center has been an incredible leader and partner in this work.”

“During their tenure at SLU, I have seen how the Pestellos have committed themselves to be partners in the St. Louis community and to be good neighbors to the Grand Center Arts District,” said Joseph Conran ('67, '70), the former chairman of SLU’s Board of Trustees. “I can think of no one more deserving of the Excellence in Community Leadership Award, and I am thrilled Fran and Fred were honored for their devotion to the mission of SLU and advancing the arts in St. Louis.”

During the gala, longtime Grand Center board member Donald Suggs, D.D.S., received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Suggs is widely known for his contributions to St. Louis as a doctor, publisher, entrepreneur, community leader and advocate for African Americans and African American artists.

Suggs was the first African American to serve as an associate clinical professor of oral surgery in SLU’s dental school, and today, the University has an undergraduate scholarship named in his honor. Both Pestellos said it was an honor and humbling to be recognized alongside him.