presidential PERSPECTIVES
Rich White
Chairman
Robert “Bobby” Bisor
Chairman-Elect/Administration
Glen Brewer
Immediate Past Chairman
Kathy Krusie
Vice-Chair Community Enhancement
Uri Geva
Vice-Chair Communications
Mary Beckman
Vice-Chair Leadership
Jody Rodriguez
Vice-Chair Membership
David O’Neil
Vice-Chair Business Enhancement
Arty Brieden
Vice-Chair Finance & Physical Resources
Paul Atkinson
Stephen Beck
Neal Briers
Lori Bruffett
Sharon Burt
Crystal Dupre
Vicki Flenniken
Katie Fox
David Gardner
Rudy Grimaldo
Barron Hobbs
Jason Jennings
Rayne Knight
Chase Murphy
Casey Oldham
Brandi Ring-Cooper
STAFF
President/CEO
Royce Hickman
Director of Finance
Lori Farrell
Director of Operations &
Public Affairs
Burl Haigwood
Manager of Business Programs
Lucia Cropper
Manager of Member Services
Carrie Archer
Membership Investment
Representative
Heather Barlow
Communications Coordinator
Brittany Coker
Executive Assistant
Tracy Bates
Business Programs Coordinator
Kelli Davis
Receptionist & Membership
Assistant
Linda Espiriqueta
Chamber Volunteers Make a Difference!
The main reason our Chamber has a great state-wide reputation is
because we have so many committed volunteers who make a difference.
While they help in so many different areas, we are currently between
two Chamber programs where volunteers make all the difference in the
world.
On February 3rd and 4th, almost 60 Bryan/College Station business
and community leaders, under the leadership of Board Chairman Rich
White of HEB, represented our area on the Chamber’s tenth bi-annual
Legislative trip to Austin. Our time in the state capital was well spent.
We hosted a reception on Tuesday night that provided quality time visiting with our guests,
including Senator Charles Schwertner, Representatives John Raney and Kyle Kacal, and a
number of state and federal staff members. On Wednesday, the group was divided into
teams in order to maximize our efforts to deliver our Legislative Action Plan to the offices of
all 31 Senators and 150 Representatives.
Our trip was particularly effective not only because of the number of meetings we were
able to have, but also because we delivered an effective Action Plan. It was compiled by
our Legislative Affairs committee, under the leadership of Co-Chairs, Mary Lynne Stratta
with the City of Bryan and Jason Ogle with Knowledge Based Systems. The value of this
trip to the Chamber’s overall legislative efforts has increased dramatically over the last few
years and has strengthened the Bryan/College Station Chamber’s position as one of the top
three legislatively active chambers in Texas. Our thanks to the sponsors who made this trip
possible; Regency Gardens Apartments, Atmos Energy, BTU, City of Bryan, City of College
Station, Research Valley Partnership, Texas A&M University and Texas Commercial Waste.
Our next major program that is dependent on volunteers is our annual Chamber Day which,
this year, will be held on March 26 and once again will be sponsored by Brazos County. This
program began in 2009 and each year has seen improvement in participation and in the
information gathered by the group.
Historically, more than 100 volunteers join your Chamber board and staff for a half day or
a full day of visiting local businesses. The purpose of our visit is to thank them for being in
business in Bryan/College Station and for the jobs they have created here. We ask if there is
anything the Chamber can do to assist them and then conduct a brief survey. Believe me, it
is a very positive and uplifting day for all participants.
Recently we have been able to visit about 650 to 700 businesses but this year we have set
a goal of visiting 850-900 businesses. In order to successfully achieve this goal our three
committee co-chairs, Jarrod Hix of Wells Fargo Advisors, Peggi Goss of Kelly Services and
Jason Cornelius of Prosperity Bank, estimate that we need to increase our volunteers by at
least 50%.
Let me extend a personal invitation for you to get involved with Chamber Day and help us
accomplish our goal! All you have to do is call
Carrie Archer at 260-5200. I promise you a very
personally rewarding day that will benefit the
Chamber and our community!
Royce H. Hickman
President/CEO
The Chamber Connections is a publication of the Bryan/College
Station Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Box 3579, Bryan, TX 77805.
Published monthly, the Chamber Connections is a public service to
Chamber members. Editorial and advertising inquiries should be
addressed to Brittany Coker at the above address, by phone at
(979) 260-5200, or email [email protected].
www.bcschamber.org
Connections March 2015
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