08.29.18 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
HILTON COLLEGE STATION
CONNECTIONS featuring KARR INGHAM, Owner of Ingham Economic Reporting and member of Texas Society of Energy Producers
At The Bank & Trust, we believe an exceptional community deserves an exceptional bank! Our bankers are members of the community, just like you. We’re particularly proud to support the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce and its dedication to supporting local businesses. Together, we are strengthening our community!
Call (979) 260-2100 or visit us online at www.banktbt.com.
Crystal Dupre Chairman
Vicki Reim
Chair-Elect
David O’Neil
Immediate Past Chairman
Jason Cornelius
Vice Chair of Leadership
Tom Wallis
Vice Chair of Finance & Physical Resources
Melanie Motley
Vice Chair of Business Development
Mary Mike Hatcher
Vice Chair of Communications
Phil Shackelford
Vice Chair of Community Enhancement
Grant Graham
Vice Chair of Membership Enhancement
Brad Beard
Ricardo Diaz
David Doss
Gabriel Garcia
Susan Gipson
Bobby Gutierrez
Tracy Kyle
James Larkin
Tai Lee
Sylvia McMullen
Shane Phelps
Jay Primavera
Kori Rich
Travis Rollis
Claudia Smith
Greg Zweiacker
STAFF
President/CEO
Glen Brewer
Community Liaison
Royce Hickman
Manager of Membership
Carrie Archer
Manager of Finance
Tom Tilton
Acting Manager of Business Programs
Jordan Prihoda
Membership Investment
Representative
Brian Miller
Communications Coordinator
Kaley Crump
Special Projects Coordinator
Allison Batte
Executive Assistant
Haley Galloway
Receptionist
Linda Espiriqueta
It was truly a great night for everyone who attended the Chamber’s 2018 Founders Night event. With ticket sales of over 500, we had a great crowd for the Chamber’s 100th Anniversary party. I want to thank all of our event sponsors and restaurants who served the best food tastings we’ve had to date. And thanks to Kristen Distributing for our cold beverages and The Ice House on Main for hosting our 2018 Founders Night. You will see from the pictures in this issue of Connections, everyone had a wonderful time at the event (see page 6 for event sponsors).
I hope you were able to attend the Chamber’s Leadership Luncheon on July 18th. Sponsored by the Leadership Brazos Alumni Association, a record-setting crowd at the Phillips Event Center listened to HEB President Scott McClelland give a fantastic presentation that is still being talked about around B/CS. If you did miss out, you can still go to bcschamber.org and reserve a seat or table at our next luncheon –the Economic Outlook Briefing on August 29th, featuring Texas Economist Karr Ingham.
Your Chamber of Commerce works all year to “enhance the economic well-being of the businesses in the communities we serve.” Our primary fundraiser for all of our operations, including networking events, education, legislative advocacy, and many other areas, is the Chamber’s annual Lobsterfest & Golf Classic sponsored by The Bank & Trust on September 16th and 17th. We are currently signing sponsors for both Sunday night’s Lobsterfest at the Brazos Center and Monday’s Golf Classic at Traditions Club. We are also taking items for our silent auction. The event is held for the 1500+ members of the B/CS Chamber of Commerce. This is your Lobsterfest & Golf Classic and this is your opportunity to show your fellow B/CS businesses what you have to offer.
Glen Brewer President & CEO
08/09/2018
08/28/2018
08/29/2018
SEPTEMBER 2018
09/16/2018
09/17/2018
09/20/2018
10/17/2018
10/18/2018
10/29/2018
B/CS RV Parks
549 Marino Road
Bryan, TX 77808 (979) 219-3124 www.bcsrvparks.com
Poppy Restaurant
Presidio Apartment Homes
3150 Finfeather Road Bryan, TX 77801 (979) 779-2700 www.presidioapartmenthomes.com
La Quinta Inn
Code Ninjas College Station
Main St. Market
MLN Service
Kona Ice of Bryan
Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Brazos Valley
Maven Landscape Service
College Station Fit Body Boot Camp
The Blood Center of Brazos Valley
Self Made Homes, LLC
MM Texas
607 Texas Avenue College Station, TX 77840 (979) 696-7777
4444 Highway 6, Suite 700 College Station, TX 77845 (979) 690-8828
7216 Main Street Iola, TX 77861 (936) 727-0615
5969 Jones Road Bryan, TX 77807 (979) 676-3002
315 Tauber Street College Station, TX 77840 (979) 224-3660
2224 Centerhill Road Bellville, TX 77418 (979) 492-8862
4099 Highway 6 South College Station, TX 77845 (833) 434-8263
1701 Rock Prairie Road College Station, TX 77845 (979) 764-5600
2508 Kimbolton Drive College Station, TX 77845 (979) 803-0333
4568 Gloria Allen Drive, Suite 100 College Station, TX 77845 (979) 307-5566
Self Made Homes, LLC
2508 Kimbolton Drive College Station, TX 77845 (979) 803-0333
180 Century Court College Station, TX 77840 (979) 485-5656 www.poppufarmtofire.com
7015 Coyote Run Bryan, TX 77808 (979) 589-4011 www.mlncompany.com
Titan Security
Hail Advisor
1780 Greens Prairie Road W, Suite 200 College Station, TX 77845 (979) 704-5109
710 Honeysuckle College Station, TX 77845 (979) 412-2381
10500 State Highway 30, Suite 800 College Station, TX 77845 (979) 231-0333
Museum of the American G.I.
Smallcakes Cupcakery & Creamery
750 William D Fitch Parkway, Suite 210 College Station, TX 77845 (979) 353-1201
19124 Highway 6 South College Station, TX 77845 (979) 690-0501
424 Northpoint Crossing, Suite 1500 College Station, TX 77840 (979) 260-0260
FIBERTOWN Data Centers & Disaster Recovery Offices
Funny Rocket Scientist,Inc.
Deitz Consulting, LLC
Senior Helpers
Deitz Consulting, LLC
110 North Main Street Bryan, TX 77803 (888) 501-4368
Bryan, TX 77807 (818) 371-0091
206 Mills Court Bryan, TX 77808 (979) 574-4198
401 East 29th Street, Suite 190 Bryan, TX 77802 (979) 412-9554
206 Mills Court Bryan, TX 77808 (979) 574-4198
Business After Hours is the perfect opportunity to network with hundreds of Chamber Members, while allowing event sponsors to showcase their businesses! For more information about Business After Hours, please contact Carrie Archer at carrie@bcschamber.org.
Thursday August 9, 2018
5:30 - 7:00 p.m. Atkinson Toyota 728 N Earl Rudder Fwy Bryan, TX 77802 (979) 776-0404
Tuesday August 28, 2018
5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
atkinsontoyotabryan.com
Hilton College Station 801 University Dr E College Station, TX 77840 (979) 693-7500
collegestation.hilton.com
I am honored to be named Ambassador of the Month. Being a part of this wonderful group has allowed me opportunities to welcome and build relationships with other businesses in Bryan/ College Station. It’s always the highlight of my day to serve as an Ambassador with such a wonderful group of individuals that are dedicated to the betterment of our community.
I am proud and blessed to work at Elms Orthodontics as office manager for the 27 years that Dr. Elms has been in BCS. We love creating new smiles for our patients and enjoy the work we do each day.
Elms Orthodontics believes in giving back to our community. We also understand the importance of having a strong chamber community to give support to our local businesses. I look forward to meeting and talking to you at chamber events and sharing with others about your business.
Since its founding, the Bryan-College Station area has revolved around commerce, industry, and trade. The area’s economy relied heavily on agriculture, cotton being the county’s most lucrative crop. Two major railway lines passed through Downtown Bryan, and soon the area became a bustling regional business hub.
Eventually, several of the city’s businessmen recognized the need for a business-focused organization, and in 1900, they formed the Bryan Business League. The organization held many titles over the years (Bryan & Brazos Commercial Association, Civic League, Merchant’s Association), but their primary objective remained constant—to promote business and work to improve the quality of life for its citizens. In 1918, the Bryan Commercial Club officially changed its name to the Bryan and Brazos Chamber of Commerce.
From the beginning, the Chamber has been a trailblazing organization, and has worked tirelessly to ensure excellence for the community. In 1924, the Chamber was recognized as “Best in the State”, and in 1926, Mrs. Lee J. Roundtree was elected as president of the Chamber, making her the first female Chamber president in the country. While the rest of the country was reeling from the effects of the Great Depression, the Bryan-College Station area continued to flourish, thanks in part to the strength of its Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. entry into World War II significantly impacted the business world as many young men were drafted into the war, but the Chamber created a Post War Planning Committee to develop practical plans to absorb the Service Men back into civil society. The City of College Station was officially incorporated into the Chamber in 1946, allowing the two cities to work together for the betterment of the community. In addition to growing the area’s economy, the Chamber prioritized the well-being of its residents by advocating for public health programs in the 1930s, organizing a “Community Chest” in the 1940s, and advocating for the establishment of the Salvation Army in the 1950s. The Chamber played a huge role in supporting the construction of shopping centers, larger office buildings, and industrial parks, which brought several new industries and hundreds of jobs to the area.
Chamber members have included doctors, pharmacists, mayors, judges, bankers, business owners, and community leaders from all industries. You may recognize the names of our Chamber’s past presidents and members because they can be seen all over this town: Varisco, Culpepper, Bryan, Koldus, just to name a few. They have buildings, streets, businesses, and schools named in their honor. They worked tirelessly to build our community from the ground up, and they recognized that a strong Chamber of Commerce— and their involvement in it—was crucial. Today, our Chamber hosts dozens of programs, including our Lobsterfest & Golf Classic, Crawfish Boil, Annual Banquet, Founders Night, and Business After Hours. We act as a liaison between Chamber members and legislative officials to advocate for business-friendly policies. Our leadership programs encourage professional development and emphasize the value of community involvement. The Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce has changed drastically over the past 100 years, but its mission has remained unchanged—“To enhance the economic well-being of the businesses in the community it serves.”
Allison Batte Special Projects Coordinator B/CS Chamber of Commerce
Dust
Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 Bryan Rotary 10 Business Performance Awards
Sunspace Texas Company, LLC
JackRabbit Manufacturing, LLC
FrogSlayer, LLC
Element Retirement & Investment Consultations
Zapalac Enterprises, Inc.
TM5 Properties
Village Foods Pharmacy
BVP Management, Inc.
Computers, Electronics, Office Etc.
Keystone Millwork, Inc.
Additional congratulations to Smith Dairy Queen, winner of the Anco Insurance Award for Lifetime Business Achievement.
The Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce is honored to be a supporter of this local awards program organized by the Bryan Rotary Club.
ABOVE: The B/CS Chamber of Commerce displayed artifacts and a time line of the Chamber’s history at the 2018 Founders Night to celebrate our 100th Anniversary. Items displayed were from as far back as the 1920s.
BELOW: 2018 Founders Night guests enjoy a night of casino gaming, including Roulette, Texas Hold’em, and Black Jack.
BELOW: The Ice House on Main was the perfect venue to celebrate the 2018 Founders Night: The Chamber’s Centennial Celebration.
LEFT: Current ambassadors are excited to celebrate the 2018 Founders Night together. (From left to right: Scott Rolfsmeyer, Mike Green, Mike Connor, Jared Salvato, J. Paul Teel, Judy LeUnes, Ben Caldwell, Dave Ruesink, Missee Mora, Hans Hammond, Justin Lopez, Gene Perez, Rachel Carrabba, Cameron Comire, Agustin Trevino, Brenda Ponzio, Heath Groves, Daniela Hardin, Taylor Birkner, Kathy Savell, Ginny Ford, Joe Foster, Katerina Hall, and Zach Etheridge.)
ABOVE: Past, present, and future board chairs pose for a photo at Founders Night. (From left to right: Royce Hickman, Cal McNeill, Vicki Reim, Ben Downs, Rich White, Crystal Dupre, Manuel Gonzales, Marty Cangelose, and Glen Brewer.) We appreciate all of their service to the Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce and our community.
RIGHT: 2018 LBAA Council has a little fun with President of HEB Scott McClelland after the 2018 Leadership Luncheon, held at The Phillips Event, sponsored by LBAA. (From left to right: Hayden Paul, Carrie Archer, Katerina Hall, Hans Hammond, Jason Cornelius, and Tracy Paine.)
LEFT: Bryan/College Station HEB Store Managers, Tony Atkins (Holleman), Ann Gilmore (North Bryan), Mike Newkham (Towerpoint), and Rich White (Villa Maria), and President of HEB Scott McClelland pose with Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Glen Brewer at the 2018 Leadership Luncheon.
LEFT: Zach Etheridge, with title sponsor HBi Office Solutions, introduces the Education Panel at the 2018 Inside B/CS: A Briefing by Community Leaders held at George Bush Library & Museum.
Since opening our doors on August 19, 2013, we have become an integral part of the community. With 1,080 employees and 412 physicians on the medical staff, we’ve served nearly 25,000 patients, supported over 100,000 emergency room visits and delivered more than 5,400 babies.*
Our additions:
• a comprehensive cancer center and congestive heart failure clinic
• two operating rooms
• 24 additional hospital beds
• a second Convenient Care Clinic
• seven primary care clinics
Our achievements:
• Advanced Primary Stroke Center Designation
• Chest Pain Center Accreditation
• Pathway of Excellence™ Designation
• Level III Trauma Designation
• Level III neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) designation equipped with NICU video monitors
• Guardian of Excellence Award for Patient Experience by Press Ganey
At Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – College Station, our roots are deep. Our commitment is strong.
Follow us on Twitter @ BSWHealth_BCS
Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 3579
Bryan, TX 77805-3579
