Tony Kok celebrated as Picture Butte Citizen of the Year

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Sunny South News

By Heather Cameron
Sunny South News

Picture Butte Citizen of the Year Tony Kok will be honoured at the Best of Butte Awards on Friday, February 23 after being selected for the honour by the Picture Butte & District Chamber of Commerce along with the citizens of Picture Butte.

“It is an honour but there are so many others that deserve this in Picture Butte as well, so it’s very humbling being named Citizen of the Year,” said Kok.

Kok was born and raised on a dairy and beef farm in Ontario and was the youngest of eight children. As soon as he was done high school, Kok says, he worked as a draftsman and in construction and then eventually worked in cattle farming in Vauxhall, Alta. 

In the late 1980’s, Kok says, he moved to Picture Butte and worked for Albert Kolk, and then for Grandview Cattle Feeders for almost 20 years. 

In 2007, Kok says, he purchased Ag Employment and Immigration and continues to operate it out of the head office in Picture Butte and he is also very involved in Iron Springs CRC on various committees, on the board, tech team, and playing guitar on the worship team. 

In addition to that, Kok says, he is a past president of the Picture Butte Chamber of Commerce and involved as a board member. Kok says that he has spent the last 12 years being involved in Coyote Flats Pioneer Village as a volunteer and board member and takes great joy in serving as a board member for the Picture Butte Food Grains Project, helping the project, which is now in its 23rd year, raise well over $1 million dollars.

Kok says that in his spare time, he enjoys being a freelance photographer, woodworking, laser engraving, taking aerial photographs with a drone, and stopping to help or talk to anyone and everyone he meets in Picture Butte. 

“It does feel good to be involved in the community where you live,” said Kok.