Q & A Session With Ladue's New Mayor Nancy Spewak

On April 2, Council member Nancy Spewak was elected the 11th Mayor of the City of Ladue.

Spewak owns Property Enhancements, an interior design and home-staging firm. She is married to Dr. Bob Spewak, a pediatrician who’s practiced childhood medicine in St. Louis Hills for more than 30 years.

Spewak grew up in Ladue on Terry Lane at the corner of Dielman and Ladue Road and graduated from Ladue High School and the University of Arizona.  Her degree was in speech communications with a double minor in marketing and journalism.

She began her career with the St. Louis Business Journal working in circulation. She worked briefly for the Business Journal paper in Pittsburgh then moved back to St. Louis where she became a community volunteer, spending many hours on behalf of St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

She also volunteered for March of Dimes, served as president of the Reed School PTA and did work for a new organization, “St. Louis for Kids.”

The Spewaks are parents of four boys: Mike 25, who is in medical school at Emory University School of Medicine; Danny 22, a graduate of the University of Missouri and a new television investigative reporter in Buffalo, NY; Mark, 20, who works for Big River Running and attends St. Louis Community College at Meramec  and Andy, 18 a soon-to-be Ladue graduate, off to Mizzou.

The Mayor has been on the job less than a month and was gracious enough to conduct an extensive interview with the Ladue-Frontenac Patch.

Ladue-Frontenac Patch: What got you into City politics:

Nancy Spewak: “Years ago, a friend of mine was working on the Dogwood Parade Festival and asked if I would help out. I jumped at the chance to be the public school liaison. Then I chaired the Dogwood Parade and Festival. I’m commited to keeping Ladue a premier community and I believe I have something to add to that. Then it was just a natural jump to run for city council from there.

Patch: What is your vision for the city?

Spewak: “My vision has never changed. My goal and the council’s is for Ladue to be a premier community. That is something we pride ourselves on.  My vision is to remain a premier community and to be the gold standard that other communities look to.

Patch: What do you think about being the Mayor of Ladue?

Spewak: “It is both an honor and a privilege to be the Mayor of Ladue. I do not take it lightly. I am spending a lot of time learning the job and listening to the residents and city employees. I want to be a positive force for all the citizens of Ladue.”

Patch: How would you rate the professional leadership of the City?

Spewak: “We are very fortunate to have very professional well trained heads of fire, police and public works. Our fire and police (officers) are continually training to handle all the new situations and that we are fortunate to have our new fire chief John Bailot, a very experienced chief and we’re thrilled to have him head the department.

Chief Rich Wooten has been here many years on the police force. He is a great communicator and a well rounded chief. Anne Lamitola, our public works director is a trained engineer and came to us as public works director in Sunset Hills. She is extremely knowledgeable.

They work directly with our businesses and residents more than we (mayor and council) ever could, and they truly are the faces of our city. We are fortunate to have such professional people working for us.

I also want to thank all of our dedicated volunteers who serve on our committees, Zoning & Planning; Board of Adjustment; Finance, Pension committees among others who give their time for no pay, and the council and as the mayor we benefit from their advice."

Tomorrow, the Mayor talks about land developments, commerical projects and other things effecting the City of Ladue.