Missy Hermes is Named 2014 Fergus Falls AAUW Woman of the Year

Missy Hermes

Missy Hermes, Fergus Falls, a member of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) since 1992, was named the Fergus Falls branch’s 2014 Woman of the Year. The honor is given annually to a member who exemplifies the AAUW’s mission to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education and research.

An education specialist with the Otter Tail County Historical Society, Hermes is quick to share her knowledge and talents with the AAUW and community/county-wide organizations. In particular, she has made extensive research and has shared the histories of people “whose stories are often left untold: women, minorities, veterans, people with mental and physical disabilities, and average people who have lived extraordinary lives,” Hermes said. Some of her presentations include Jewish Pioneers of Otter Tail County, The African American Experience in Otter Tail County, History of Women in Otter Tail County, and The Feminine Side of the Civil War and Otter Tail County.

Hermes writes the interesting, engaging histories of all the houses on the AAUW’s biannual Holiday Tour of Homes.    

Hermes and her husband, Paul, have two sons. She has been very involved in the Boy Scouts program, in which her sons were both active.

The Woman of the Year award includes a $100 donation to an organization of Hermes’ choice. She chose the Otter Tail County Historical Society.