Tom Hanafan is the recipient of the 2019 Mercy Heritage Award for Arts and Humanities.

A Council Bluffs native, Hanafan graduated in 1965 from Thomas Jefferson High School where he excelled in football and baseball. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in history and government from the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, he worked as a field representative for a sundries distribution firm, refereed football and basketball games and coached youth sports.

Hanafan served a term on the Council Bluffs City Council (1982-1985) before becoming one of the longest serving mayors in Iowa for his seven consecutive terms from 1988 through 2013.