Royal Honours for Harry Smeets, Rieks Dikkers and Rob de Graaf

On Tuesday evening, 31 March, Mayor Joerie Minses of the municipality of Heumen was pleased to inform three councillors on behalf of His Majesty the King that they have been appointed as ‘Members of the Order of Orange-Nassau’. During the farewell meeting of the municipal council, they were presented with a Royal Honour in recognition of their many years of service as councillors.

Mr H.J.J.M. (Harry) Smeets (Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau)

Harry Smeets is a familiar face in the municipality of Heumen. As one of the two longest-serving councillors in Gelderland – and one of the twelve longest-serving councillors in the Netherlands – he has dedicated himself to local democracy for an uninterrupted period of 28 years. Since taking office on 6 March 1998 as a councillor for the VVD, and already active within the party since 1996, he has grown into an experienced, committed and expert representative.

Harry is thoroughly familiar with the municipal organisation and local public administration, both from his work at the municipality of Venlo and his involvement in various audit chambers. The administrative experience and knowledge he gained there proved invaluable during his work as a councillor. Harry is known for his extensive knowledge of files, his keen eye for legislation and regulations, and his distinctive, personal debating style.

During his long period as a councillor, he witnessed significant changes in the municipality. From fields where the town hall now stands to new residential neighbourhoods: he closely followed the development of Heumen and actively contributed to the municipality’s course. Despite sometimes complex files – from asylum reception to housing construction – he remained committed to serving the community with dedication. Outside of politics, Harry is a devoted family man. Together with his wife Katia, he has a set of triplets – two sons and a daughter – who are now adults. As a proud father, he places great value on his family, who have unconditionally supported him throughout his long period as a councillor.

Mr H. (Rieks) Dikkers (Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau)

Rieks Dikkers has been a member of the municipal council since March 2010, where for sixteen years he has worked with great dedication for the local community on behalf of Samen Verder and later the Democrats Gemeente Heumen (DGH). During this period, he served as, among other roles, the 2nd deputy chairman of the council and committee chairman, as well as deputy chairman of the regional agenda committee of the Modular Joint Arrangement (MGR). His particular focus was on the Work Company, where he applied his expertise with great commitment.

Rieks is known as a driven and meticulous councillor who always prepares thoroughly and approaches discussions with an open attitude. His colleagues appreciate his calm demeanour, his sense of humour and his ability to maintain an overview even in complex files. In addition to his political work, Rieks has had a varied career. At the age of eighteen, he began working in inland shipping, where he spent six years on the Rhine. He then joined the National Police, eventually becoming a manager. He retired at the age of 58.

Rieks is a proud father of three daughters – Fanny, Lieke and Nienke – and a proud grandfather to his granddaughters. His family plays an important role in his life. For many years, he has faithfully looked after his grandchildren and is often ready to pick them up from school. With a wink, he likes to say that he is surrounded by daughters and granddaughters, something he clearly enjoys.

Mr R. (Rob) de Graaf (Member of the Order of Orange-Nassau)

Rob de Graaf has been active in the local politics of Heumen since 2010. He started as a committee member and joined the municipal council in March 2014 on behalf of the CDA. In total, he served as a councillor for twelve years, during which he was the group leader throughout his entire period in office. Rob dedicated himself with great commitment to issues close to his heart, such as housing construction, the energy transition and regional cooperation within the Green Metropolitan Region. He finds questions at the intersection of living, working and infrastructure within a sustainable living environment challenging and motivating. He has also consistently focused on the care sector. As he often emphasises, in a prosperous community, the municipality has a responsibility to organise appropriate and accessible care for young and old. In his daily life, Rob works as a business economics teacher and as a subsidy advisor and programme manager within a large education board in the region. His professional background provides a solid foundation for his political work. For example, Rob made a valuable contribution as a member of the audit committee, where his financial knowledge and sharp eye proved particularly useful.

Together with his partner Maaike de Jong and their four children – three daughters and one son – Rob forms a close and warm family. The deep-rooted sense of social involvement within the De Graaf family became clear when daughters Fleur and Laura spoke at a committee meeting about a local playground. Their contribution brought a smile to the council chamber and underlined how strong the sense of community is within the De Graaf family.