T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Whiteside auto dealership owner and president Ted Showalter thanks his friends and family for attending his saute at the Ohio Cancer Research’s 29th annual Grand Illusions Saute.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Things almost got too spicy for the pepper for the president and owner of Whiteside auto dealership Ted Showalter at Ohio Cancer Research’s 29th annual Grand Illusions Saute.

“This is a roast of a very prominent and successful business or civic leader from the valley who is willing to get up and suffer a little bit. We call it a Grand Saute, so it’s not a roast, it’s a saute, which is a family friendly version of the roast. But the honoree has committed to coming and having a lot of fun, putting up with being sauteed to raise money for really important funding for cancer research,” Ohio Cancer Research Executive Director Bill Boggess said. “For over 29 years, I am really proud to say that this event has generated over a million dollars for cancer research. Ohio Cancer Research provides seed money for new ideas, regardless of the type of cancer or where within the state of Ohio that research is being conducted. We get the best new ideas up and running and get the labs established so that those scientists can then use the tangible data that they’ve obtained through our funding to obtain much larger funding from national sources. Nearly $9 million of funding directly from us has now generated $1,065,000,000.”

He added that since its inception, OCR has funded 178 projects and 174 researchers in the state of Ohio.

During Thursday evening’s event, four of Showalter’s longtime friends St. Clairsville City Councilman Mike Smith, retired FBI agent Drew McConaghy, former Neely’s Grocery owner Lance Miller, and former head of school at Wheeling Country Day School Liz Hofreuter were the “saute chefs” who seared him.

McConaghy joked about how Showalter’s first job was working at his grandfather’s restaurant as a dishwasher.

“After the restaurant closed, he was the beer taste tester at the restaurant, so they would shut down, and Ted would hang out. He was actually the dishwasher, and he would test beer after hours. I’m not sure if he moved on to this next job because he got fired or because he was drinking up all the profits,” McConaghy said.

Smith said that he has known Showalter since high school and joked how it’s amazing how he always makes himself be the employee of the month at Whitesides.

“Ted sells cars the way he used to date, he talked a big game, but there was always something wrong under the hood,” Smith said.

Showalter said he was humbled to be just a small part of what OCR does by being honored at this year’s saute and appreciates not only his friends who spoke during the charity event, but everyone who attended as well.

“I have a handful of friends, and a lot of them are in this room right now, they’re the friends that would do anything. Pick up the phone, text, call, whatever you need to do day or night,” he said. “Those friends are here tonight, and I certainly appreciate those friends, and I don’t ever want to take those friends for granted. I’m honored to be here tonight to support the incredible work that Ohio Cancer Research does.”

He then joked that when Boggess originally contacted him to be sauted he thought that he was going to be recognized for his excellent cooking skills.

Boggess ended the event by thanking everyone in attendance for spending their evening being a part of a life changing cause.

He added that ORC doesn’t use the word donate anymore because the people who give the money to the charity are investing in the future of medicine.