The Mayor's Spirit of St. Louis Award recognizes businesses that make major expansions or improvements to their existing City locations, businesses that open or relocate to the City, and certain major City projects.

"The Spirit of St. Louis award recognizes excellence in business," Mayor Slay said, "and I am pleased to recognize Diversified Foam Products. The company's commitment to remain in business after a devastating fire in January of this year that destroyed its building on Branch Street, and its success here shows that St. Louis is a great place to do business. We are very proud to have Diversified Foam Products as one of our corporate citizens."

The owners of Diversified Foam Products, the Safron Family, have been in the St. Louis area since 1929. The leadership of Edsel Safron, founder of Diversified Foam Products, resulted in the company's becoming the premier fabrication facility in the area. Although Safron has retired as President of Diversified, as CEO he is still active as a consultant to the business. Safron's son, Stanley, is current President and continues to keep Diversified on the cutting edge of the foam fabrication industry.

It was on January 16, 2003, that a devastating fire consumed the company's building at 134 Branch Street. With the help of the St. Louis Development Corporation, the Safron's were able to find the building on Wellington Court and avert a move to the County.

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