Press Releases: 2008
Sara and Dick Rathgeber Receive Most Worthy Citizen Award
Tuesday, March 18 - The Austin Board of REALTORS®
(ABoR) is proud to announce Sara and Dick Rathgeber as
recipients of the 2008 Most Worthy Citizen Award. Since
1949, ABoR has bestowed this prestigious annual award on
members of the Austin-area community who have demonstrated
active and consistent concern for others’ welfare.
An advocate for abused and neglected children, Sara Rathgeber has served as president of
charities including The Settlement Club and Helping Hand Home for Children and has been an
Austin’s Children Shelter board member for over 10 years. She and her husband donated $2.7
million in land and funds and helped raise nearly $12.9 million for the shelter’s new campus,
which recently began construction in East Austin’s Rathgeber Village.
Dick Rathgeber established Southwest Constructors in 1958 and has since provided numerous
demolition projects clearing the way for buildings such as the Austin Convention Center, Texas
School for the Deaf and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. He has consistently helped
local charities and hospitals by acquiring land sites, facilitating construction, raising funds and
donating land, money and demolition services.
The Rathgebers were honored as Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of
Fundraising Professionals Greater Austin Chapter earlier this year and named Austin’s Best
Citizen by the Austin Chronicle in 2007.
ABoR’s Most Worthy Citizen Luncheon will be at the Renaissance Austin Hotel in the
Arboretum on Friday, April 11, from 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Purchase tickets for $30 by contacting
Rita Barousse at 512/454-7636, ext. 1603.
The Austin Board of REALTORS® is a non-profit, voluntary organization representing more
than 8,000 licensed REALTORS® in Central Texas. For further information, please contact
Sally Yaryan at 512/454-7636 ext. 1600.
