Fuqua named Citizen of Year

Gloria Clepper, center, accepts the Employee of the Year Award - and a hug - during the Grimes County Chamber of Commerce banquet Saturday, Jan. 17, from Banquet Chairman Molly Hurst, right. Also shown, at left, is Precinct 3 Commissioner Zac Falkenbury, who introduced Clepper. Clepper works as a coordinator at Camp Allen.

By JOY STEPHENSON

Lightning crackled and thunder roared, but the 2004 Grimes County Chamber of Commerce banquet went forward in its usual warm and friendly manner on Saturday night, Jan. 17, at the Grimes County Fairgrounds.

Chamber of Commerce Executive

Director Mark Daspit said 550 guests attended the steak and awards dinner. It was a first for the chamber awards event when two of the winners could not appear to accept the awards they were chosen by chamber members to receive.

J.C. Thompson, 2004 Chamber president, in announcing that the top award, Citizen of the Year would go to Glenn Fuqua, said that when Fuqua was nominated for the honor, he notified banquet planners that a long-standing prior commitment would prohibit him from attending the banquet. Fuqua, a Navasota native and local contractor, has been a faithful contributor and supporter of youth projects and to the Grimes County Fair for many years.

The 2004 Community Service Award went to publicity-shy Billie Williams, who was honored for her work in maintaining downtown planter boxes by replacing hopeless plants and by watering during the summer months. Williams' and Fuqua's awards will be presented to the two winners at another time.

The Employee of the Year award, presented by Precinct 3 Commissioner Zac Falkenbury, went to Camp Allen coordinator Gloria Clepper, who was present to receive her award for outstanding service at the conference center. J.C. Thompson then returned to the podium to present the first-time Ambassador of the Year award to Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Jim Guido. Under the Chamber's new Ambassador Program, in which volunteers assist the chamber in membership enlistment and other duties, Guido has, in the past year, enlisted 30 new members for the chamber.

In response to the presentation, Guido said, "I accept the award with great pride. We must all work together to do better in 2004."

Dinner entertainment was supplied by the Suzie Haynie dancers, who performed to Sharon Coffey's rousing vocal presentation of, "There's No Business Like Show Business," altered slightly to read, "There's No Business Like Your Business" to better fit the theme of the evening.

Guests were welcomed by outgoing two-term Chamber president Molly Hurst, administrator of Grimes St. Joseph Health Center. Hurst was honored by the presentation of a gift from Jack Buckley, chief executive officer of St. Joseph Regional Health Center in Bryan and by the Sisters of St. Francis.

Hurst recognized retiring Chamber of Commerce directors Joe Falco III and Manu Patel, as well as Industrial Foundation members Jared Patout, president; Thomas Finke, vice president; Stewart Thompson, secretary/treasurer; and Mike Harris, Joe King Fultz, Harlen Jochen, Bill Miller, Chester Nobles, Gerald Purcell and Ken Statham.

Recognizing the county's businesses, presentations of several communities' commerce were given by Anderson Mayor Gail Sowell; Navasota Mayor Pat Gruner; Gene Stapleton, representing the Bedias, Singleton, Iola, Roans Prairie and Shiro areas; and Plantersville resident Joy Stephenson.

Members of the 2004 Grimes County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors are J.C. Thompson, president; Douglas Nobles, first vice president; Danny Clark, second vice president; Jeff Murski, secretary; and Jared Patout, treasurer. Other board members are D. Surface, Alice Bosse, Harlen Jochen, Bobby Fuchs, Hardy Meekins, Geneva Quinn, Lupe Finke, Tony Morelos, Dianna Westmoreland, County Judge James P. Dixon, Navasota City Manager Edward Broussard, Susie Homeyer and Molly Hurst.

Banquet Committee members were Molly Hurst, Dianna Westmoreland, J.C. Thompson, Hardy Meekins, Tony Morelos, Geneva Quinn, YaYa's Floral and Specialties, Lupe Finke and the Chamber staff.

The evening ended with dancing to the music of The Texas Twisters.