Larry Hensgens speaks during the commemoration of his Citizen of the Year recognition Thursday.

The Daily Iberian’s Citizen of the Year Larry Hensgens was honored during an open house at the newspaper’s office building on Main Street Thursday afternoon.

Family and friends as well as past recipients of the prestigious award gathered on the second floor with food and drinks to commemorate Hensgen’s work for Iberia Parish.

Daily Iberian interim publisher Shanna Dickens said that in addition to recognizing Hensgens, the open house was also a celebration of the newspaper’s 128th birthday.

“When the nominations for Larry started to roll in, I thought there might have been a mistake,” Dickens said. “Not because he didn’t deserve it but because I couldn’t believe he hadn’t already received it.”

Retired Daily Iberian publisher Will Chapman said the Citizen of the Year award came about after the devastation of Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

“We had seen so many good works done in the community that we thought it was appropriate to recognize people for their exemplary work, and we thought that tied in nicely to the mission of the newspaper, which is to call attention to things that are not so good but also to things that are working well,” Chapman said.

As far as community service goes, Dickens said one would be hard-pressed to find someone more devoted to the community than Hensgens.

“He is everything a citizen should be,” she said. “He is one of the most involved, energized people that we have. Every community should be as lucky as Iberia Parish to have someone who gives so selflessly and tirelessly of their time as Larry does, and he does it all with his smile and signature laugh.”

Although the moment was a cause for celebration, Hensgens said he and his family were still reeling from the death of his mother earlier that morning.

After thanking God, his employer and his family, the Community First Bank senior vice president said a few words about his mother and late father, who he cited as the model for the man he is today.

The 65-year-old banker also showed a note he received from his second grade teacher, who said she was proud to see the young student she taught had realized his full potential.

Hensgens also thanked his family, including his girlfriend, two daughters and son Christian, who he cited as his personal hero.

“I’ve been blessed growing up, a lot of things came easy for me academically, athletically, professionally — this guy didn’t have it that easy,” Hensgens said about Christian. “He inspires and humbles me.”

Hensgens also extended a challenge to the local community to see the area in a more positive light.

“If we can take that spirit and positive thinking and not limit ourselves, we can make this community anything we want to make it at the end of the day,” he said. “We’re the only ones holding this community back, we need to buy in. Let’s stay positive and promote ourselves and our great community.”