SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY WILL HONOR JOHN DENNIS TONIGHT

Lt. Gov. Roger Wilson and Senate President James Mathewson will be among those paying tribute to former Sen. John Dennis at a recognition dinner here tonight.

The dinner was planned by Southeast Missouri State University to recognize Dennis' contributions to the University and the entire region. He did not seek re-election to the Missouri Senate last year, and retired in January after 16 years of service.

Before his election to the Senate from the 27th district in 1976, the Benton Democrat served 24 years as sheriff of Scott County.

The event will be held in the Show Me Center meeting rooms, with a reception starting at 6:30 and dinner at 7 p.m.

Besides Wilson and Mathewson, also paying tribute to Dennis will be Sen. John Scott of St. Louis, former Cape County State Rep. Marvin Proffer, and Southeast President Kala Stroup.

As part of the event, a portrait sculpture of Dennis will be presented.

Before his election to the lieutenant governor's post last November, Wilson served in the Senate with Dennis.

Mathewson and Scott were among Dennis' closest friends in the Missouri Senate. Scott, a native of Mississippi County, appointed Dennis to head a special committee that handled priority legislation while he was president pro tem. When Mathewson was elected to the post in 1988, he named Dennis to head a similar committee.

During much of his Senate tenure, Dennis chaired the Democratic caucus where he earned a reputation as a consenus builder.

Proffer served 26 years in the Missouri House before retiring in 1988. During his last eight years, Proffer chaired the House Budget Committee. In that role he worked closely with Dennis in seeking funding for a number of capital improvement projects at Southeast Missouri State, including the Show Me Center, Crisp Bootheel Education Center in Malden, and the Cottonwood Teatment Center for adolescent youths.

Proffer now works for the University, and his responsibilities including lobbying on behalf of the school.