Ritchie Honors St. Lawrence County Clerk Mary Lou Rupp as a 2018 NYS Senate Capital “Woman of Distinction"

Nominated by Senator Ritchie for her commitment to the North Country, Heuvelton native and St. Lawrence County Clerk Mary Lou Rupp was among the outstanding women from across New York State who were recently honored at the New York State Senate’s 2018 “Women of Distinction” ceremony held at the State Capitol.

The New York State Senate launched the “Women of Distinction” program in 1998 to recognize the many contributions of women in New York State who have devoted themselves to their communities, exceled in their careers and inspired those around them to make a difference. Through the program, Senators from across New York State honor women in their districts at a ceremony held in Albany.

In July, Senator Ritchie will host a Women of Distinction event locally, where outstanding women who live in the 48^th Senate District she represents—including Oswego, Jefferson and St. Lawrence Counties—will be recognized. Nominations are still being accepted for the program, and you can nominate women for the honor by visiting Senator Ritchie’s website at www.ritchie.nysenate.gov or by calling (315) 782-3418.  The deadline to submit nominations is June 20^th.

“It was an honor to recognize Mary Lou with the Senate’s ‘Women of Distinction’ award for her many achievements and tremendous dedication to St. Lawrence County and the North Country,” Senator Ritchie said. “We worked closely together for years before I became State Senator, and I have always known Mary Lou to be hardworking, generous and always willing to give back in an effort to improve her community. I was pleased to honor her with this award, and look forward to recognizing other outstanding women from my region at a ceremony I will be hosting locally in July.”

“I am honored to be named a 2018 New York Senate ‘Woman of Distinction’ and I thank Senator Ritchie for nominating me for this special recognition,” Mary Lou said. “It’s a privilege to be recognized with other women who have contributed to their communities in so many ways.”

Mary Lou is a graduate of Heuvelton Central School and SUNY Potsdam. She joined the St. Lawrence County Clerk’s office in 2003, quickly rising through the ranks until her appointment as Deputy County Clerk.

Since becoming County Clerk in 2011, Mary Lou has continued the office’s strong tradition of excellent customer service, growing the successful Motor Vehicles operation, which channels millions of dollars in non-tax revenue to help balance the county’s budget, and protect county residents from rising property taxes.

Mary Lou has worked hard to modernize the County Clerk’s Office, introducing electronic recording, giving banks, attorneys, title companies and others a paperless option to securely record documents.

In addition, she also created a county Veterans’ ID, which provides valuable discounts from participating local businesses to men and women who served.  Mary Lou also enthusiastically joined Senator Ritchie’s efforts to honor those still serving through the Senator’s “Christmas Cards for Our Troops” program.

Mary Lou has also taken it up on herself to encourage life-saving organ donation, and ensures that her office and staff are fixtures at events like the Ogdensburg Boys & Girls Club Expo, Senior Health and Wellness Fairs and “Lights on the River.”

Prior to her public service, Mary Lou and her husband, William, owned and operated several successful restaurants, including a number of Jreck Subs locations and Simply Sandwiches in Ogdensburg. The couple are proud parents of two daughters, Abbie and Kelsie, and have two grandchildren.