

HEALTH & WELLNESS IN THE BRAZOS VALLEY
LOCAL BUSINESS
Equipped for Life
CHAMBER PROGRAMS
Events to Stay Fit
COMMUNITY EVENTS
The MS150 Comes to Town
Howdy, The year is off to a great start at the Chamber! We learned about the continuing growth of our community at our Economic Outlook Conference in January, and we got a taste of the some of the best food in the Brazos Valley at our Taste of Aggieland in February. Congratulations once again to the winners of our 2020 Community Impact Awards, Rayne Knight-Zingelmann, Tricia Barksdale, and Salim & Shireen Ismail.
The Chamber recognizes that businesses are only as strong as their employees, and good businesses prioritize the health and well-being of their staff. The Chamber’s Health and Wellness Committee is focused on promoting a healthy workforce through informative luncheons, the Watercooler 5k, and our
new Wellness Challenge. This issue of Connections magazine highlights our healthcare related Chamber members and their impact on our community.
We are also gearing up for the 22nd Annual Crawfish Boil, hosted by the Chamber’s Ag Council! We look forward to seeing everyone out at the Brazos County Expo on March 20th for food, drinks, networking, and of course, lots of crawfish! Proceeds from this event benefit our local 4H and FFA students and are used to purchase projects at the Brazos County Youth Livestock Show.
On March 26th, we will be out in the community visiting over 1500 local businesses for Chamber Day. This is our way of touching base with our local businesses and learning about the issues important to them. Thank you to Brazos County for their sponsorship of this event and to all of our amazing volunteers!
The Chamber is grateful to our members for continuing to build a stronger, healthier business community. Thank you for your membership and everything you do to make our Brazos Valley the best place to live, work, and play.
GLEN BREWER PRESIDENT & CEO
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PHIL SHACKELFORD
Board Chair
GREG ZWEIACKER
Chair-Elect
VICKI REIM
Immediate Past Chairman
JASON CORNELIUS
Vice Chair of Leadership
JAMES LARKIN
Vice Chair of Finance & Physical Resources
SUSAN GIPSON
Vice Chair of Business Development
WADE BECKMAN
Vice Chair of Communications
WALTER HINKLE
Vice Chair of Community Enhancement
BARBIE PATTERSON
Vice Chair of Membership Enhancement
RICARDO DIAZ
Board Secretary
MONICA BROWN
AUSTIN BRYAN
JOHN BUSH
JOHN C. “JACK” CULPEPPER III
ZACH ETHERIDGE
DOUG FRENCH
JILL GALLAGHER
JORDAN JANUSE
HEATH POOLE
MARIE PORTALES RODRIGUEZ
AMY RESTIVO
KORI RICH
TRAVIS ROLLINS
PAT SHIELDS
STAFF
GLEN BREWER
President/CEO
ROYCE HICKMAN
Community Liaison
CARRIE ARCHER Manager of Membership
TOM TILTON Manager of Finance
JORDAN PRIHODA Manager of Business Programs
TAYLOR SMITH
Membership Investment Representative
TAYLOR CLARK
Communications Coordinator
ALLISON BATTE
Special Projects Coordinator
RACHEL NAVE
Executive Assistant
LINDA ESPIRIQUETA Receptionist
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The Bryan/College Station Chamber of Commerce offers monthly networking opportunities hosted by different businesses each month to connect Chamber members to each other. Socialize, engage and network with the business community from across the Brazos Valley. Our Business After Hours events begin at 5:30 p.m. and wrap up around 7 pm. See you at the next event! Hosted By:
APRIL 16, 2019 Hosted By:
Being part of a community means helping to care for our neighbors when they cannot take care of themselves. Health For All serves their neighbors by providing a health care safety net. The clinic provides compassionate care to the low-income, uninsured patients who do not qualify for health assistance programs (Medicare/Medicaid) – acting as a resource for those who have nowhere to turn.
In 1987, the free clinic was started in a Bryan motel. For thirty-three years, Health For All has continued because the need has continued. So, Health For All continues to provide primary and preventative health care through their community-based volunteer free clinic.
Clinic funding comes from donors who live or do business in the Brazos Valley, and no state or federal funding is received. The clinic helps save local hospitals, taxpayers, and business owners more than 3 million dollars every year.
Next time you stroll through your supermarket or take a walk in the park, look around at your neighbors and consider a stark statistic. Here in the Brazos Valley more than 25% of people living among us don’t have health insurance. The uninsured rate in Texas is the highest in our country.
The National Institute of Medicine reports that people without health insurance rarely receive preventative care. They are more likely to die from treatable illnesses. And, they are less likely to receive care for symptoms that if untreated, have serious consequences
Studies have continually demonstrated that uninsured adults have fewer doctor visits, receive less preventive care and have worse health outcomes. When people receive care from Health For All instead of the emergency room, everyone benefits. The patient gets the necessary care before his or her health reaches emergency status and the cost of an emergency room visit is saved by the community.
Health care remains beyond the reach of thousands of low-income people in the Brazos Valley. Issues of access, deductibles, co-pays and prescription costs that frequently run to thousands of dollars a year equates to neighbors in need - right here and right now. Unfortunately, due to limited resources and lack of funding, Health For All does not have the capacity to care for all of them. We need to take care of our own. We need the funding to take care of our neighbors. With your help, we can.
Health For All’s annual fundraiser, Dancing For the Health of It! Back to the 80s, will be held at the Hilton on Saturday, April 4, 2020 starting at 6:00 pm.
This event is modeled after the hit TV show, Dancing with the Stars. Local celebrities and community leaders hit the dancefloor with professionals from three local studios (Brazos Ballroom, Susan’s Ballroom and The Dance Barre) to compete for the coveted mirror ball trophy, bragging rights, and to raise funds for Health For All’s free clinic. Attendees are encouraged to embrace the theme from wardrobe to transportation. It is a fully immersive experience for all in attendance. Last year one guest said, “This is the most fun I’ve ever had at one of these events.”
Supporters can ‘vote’ for their favorite dancers by donating - $1 equals 1 vote. Every dollar donated is 100% tax- deductible and 100% will stay here and will help local men and women in the Brazos Valley. Tickets are $50 or sponsor a table of 8 for $500. Dust off your leg warmers and tease up your hair- whatever you do, plan to be there! Let’s dance our way to a healthier community.
Want to do more to help? Ask your doctor(s) if they volunteer at Health For All. If so, say thank you. If not, encourage them to join the team. Want more information? Call (979-774-4176) or email (info@hlth4all.org) to set up a tour.
DICKEY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR HEALTH FOR ALLwith the goal of “creating a culture of wellness in the workplace”. The committee hosts three major events each year to encourage workplace wellness and emphasize the importance of healthy habits among employees. We encourage our Chamber members from all areas of healthcare and wellness to participate in these events to showcase the unique products and services they offer.
The Health & Wellness committee will host its 7th Annual Watercooler 5k Fun Run & Walk, sponsored by Texas A&M University, on April 2nd at Lake Walk Town Center. This event was created to encourage employees to get out of the office and do something active together rather than just hanging out around the watercooler. In an effort to promote a healthy workplace, many businesses allow their employees to leave work a few hours early to participate as a group. People of all fitness levels enjoy taking part in the Watercooler 5k, from experienced marathon runners to firsttime 5k walkers. A selection of Chamber businesses set up booths for participants to visit before and after the race, and raffle prizes are drawn at the end. If you have never participated in a 5k, this is the perfect laid-back event to get your feet wet!
Once a year, the Chamber hosts a Health & Wellness luncheon to spotlight current topics in healthcare and how they relate to business. Past luncheons have covered topics such as “The Future of Medicine,” “How to Create Healthy Work Culture,” and “Nutrition: Eating Healthy On The Go”. Last year, Dr. Bryan Parrent brought a robot used to perform minimally invasive surgeries and demonstrated how it is used to cut healthcare costs and reduce patient recovery time. This year’s luncheon, sponsored by CHI St. Joseph Health, will be held Thursday, March 19th at Phillips Event Center. It will feature a panel of healthcare professionals with expertise in primary care and stress management. Additional panelists will include a Texas A&M athletic trainer and the Director for the Center of Population Health & Aging at Texas A&M University.
The Chamber Health & Wellness Committee is excited to announce the launch of a newly restructured Wellness Challenge, sponsored by Baylor Scott & White Health! This program aims to highlight our Chamber members from all aspects of health and wellness, including gyms, training facilities, and group fitness classes, as well as spa treatments, massages, acupuncture, and more. The Challenge will last six weeks, kicking off on Thursday, April 2nd with the Chamber’s Watercooler 5k, and concluding on Thursday, May 14th. Participants will receive a punch card with offers or activities from participating businesses, and they will accumulate points by collecting punches, as well as tracking physical activity and completing various other wellness challenges. Gather your coworkers and make it a friendly competition!
If your business would like to participate by including an offer or activity on the punch card, email Allison Batte at allison@bcschamber.org.
If you walk through the front door of CardioQuip’s shiny new headquarters in Aggieland Business Park, you might miss it. Hanging in the lobby, above the polished concrete floors, potted plants, and leather reception chairs is a framed picture. It is not what you would normally expect to find in this setting, like corporate artwork or a decorative painting— it is a picture of an infant clinging to life in the ICU amid a sea of tubes, sensors, and monitors. The picture greets each CardioQuip employee with a poignant reminder each time they
walk through the door.
“It’s there to remind us,” says CEO Doug Platt, “the work we do every day is connected to a precious life. It reminds us everyday that somewhere, someone is sitting in a waiting room depending on us and the work we’ve done to get their loved ones back and healthy.”
The work Platt describes is what made College Station-based CardioQuip the leading U.S. manufacturer of a medical device known as a cooler-heater. Many types of medical procedures, especially those involving the heart and lungs, require cooler-heaters to regulate the patient’s temperature. A cooler-heater is a critical device that ensures the health and safety of a patient during heart surgery, and CardioQuip has positioned itself as the cooler-heater expert.
Founded in 2003, CardioQuip began as a two-person medical device refurbishing company. Platt and his brother-in-law and co-founder Allen Pate would scour the internet to locate used cardiovascular equipment, refurbish and re-sell it to hospitals all over U.S. This often required Platt and Pate to make long arduous road trips all over the United States to pick up and deliver equipment.
“We drove all over everywhere,” Pate remembers with a wry smile. “I must have put forty or fifty thousand miles on my car per year, but it was fun.”
All the late nights refurbishing medical equipment, the thousands of miles put on the odometer, and conversations with medical professionals had an unintended result: Pate and Platt realized they had the knowledge, experience, and market insight to make their own device. Their sights were soon set on developing a cooler-heater device that was safe, compact, and simple to use. They had the vision, but it didn’t take shape until they connected with local engineer Jon Gardner.
“He’s basically MacGyver,” jokes Platt about Gardner, “If you give this guy a paper clip, he can turn it into a computer. The amount of ingenuity and skill he brings has taken CardioQuip to the next level. We were so lucky to find him in our own backyard.”
With Gardner in the fold, the goal was now in sight. After numerous prototypes and a mountain of regulatory hurdles, the three man team received FDA clearance in 2011 to sell their first cooler heater, the MCH-1000(i). Two years later, CardioQuip introduced an even smaller unit, the MCH-1000(m). As more clinicians were introduced to CardioQuip’s powerful and space-saving technology, the company achieved moderate success in a crowded cardiovascular market.
“It was essentially David versus Goliaths—we were David in the midst of several giant medical manufacturer Goliaths,” laughs Platt. “But we knew if we continued to make a great device that people liked, we could do great things.”
The plan moving forward was to chart a path of slow and steady growth, but things don’t always work according to plan. Sometimes giants fall.
In 2016, a major disruption shook the industry. U.S. regulatory officials raised quality concerns for the leading coolerheater on the market, the LivaNova 3T. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warned of the risk of infections associated with open-heart surgeries in which the 3T was used. At the time, the devices were used in about 60 percent of heart bypass procedures in the U.S. Mounting deaths linked to the 3T device caused hospitals to seek an alternative cooler-heater.
The panic in the market led numerous other cooler-heater brands to exit the market. What looked like risk to the giant medical manufacturers looked like an opportunity for CardioQuip. As hospitals began searching for a safe alternative to the 3T, many made the switch to CardioQuip. In a matter of months, CardioQuip had more than 400 units on backorder. The resulting flood of orders posed many challenges for CardioQuip, but building a team that could handle the onslaught was of utmost importance to leadership.
With a herculean obstacle in front of them, Platt and Pate did what it took to survive.
“We were basically facing a mountain,” Platt remembers, “but we knew in order to succeed, we had to take one step at a time. There were hospitals that would shut down their heart programs if we couldn’t produce.”
So they began building the team around them.
“We started by bringing the right people on board and letting them add their experience and expertise to the mix,” says Platt, “we realized we had to expand our operation if we were going to succeed.”
CardioQuip managed to weather the storm of 2016, and in a matter of 3 years has grown from 8 employees to 30. As market share has grown, so has the need to stay at the top. This meant investing in a 10x commitment to research and development, hiring a bevy of Aggie Biomedical Engineers, and building a new 10,000 square foot facility in Aggieland Business Park. Soon, CardioQuip will receive a CE
mark, which will give them the ability to sell their machines internationally.
Now with an estimated 60% market share nationwide, CardioQuip’s MCH1000 cooler-heater is found in nearly 900 U.S. hospitals in all 50 states. CardioQuip’s rise from underdog to industry leader has been fueled by a steady commitment to innovation and growth. In 2019, CardioQuip delivered its 4000th device into the field. If you spend more than 5 minutes with Doug Platt, you will realize that CardioQuip is not just about growth and numbers; it is also about stories—stories like Abi’s.
Abi’s story began where most newborn’s life began—cuddles, family visits, and photos, but for Abi’s parents, Rebecca and Greg Bradford, an unexpected diagnosis changed all that. Shortly after her delivery in a Dallas area hospital, a nurse noticed that Abi showed signs of labored breathing. After ordering tests and scans, the doctors indicated a valve in Abi’s heart was not closing like it should. Abi was diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD).
“We just didn’t see it coming,” Abi’s father Greg says about that day, “we were immediately filled with questions, and fears,
and anxiety. It was a powerless feeling. All we could do is put our faith in God and the team of doctors to make Abi right.”
At just 2 days old, Abi would need heart surgery to survive, and a CardioQuip coolerheater would be in the operating to regulate her temperature during the procedure.
What could have been a fatal diagnosis for Abi a few short years ago is now treatable through advances in modern medicine. Although Abi has undergone multiple surgical procedures to keep her heart working correctly, her parents are thankful for each day they get with Abi. Today, Abi is a healthy and active first grader.
Platt gushes when he tells stories like Abi’s. Sitting in his corner office in West College Station, he leans back in his chair, looks around, and cracks a smile.
“It really gives you a sense of awe,” he says, “that this little company in College Station, Texas is helping people all over the world. We have a big part to play in the cardiovascular world.”
From the looks of things, this is only the beginning.
This afternoon, after they log off their computers, clean their work benches, or finish their service reports, CardioQuip team members will file out of the building one by one, past the picture of the infant
in ICU, and out the door. They’ll do so knowing the work they do matters. They’ve helped someone’s grandmother get back to watching her grandchildren play. They helped someone’s father walk his daughter down the aisle. And somewhere in Dallas, they’ve helped a little girl named Abi dance around the living room, full of life.
WILL OTTO DIRECTOR OF MARKETING CARDIOQUIP
For devoted Aggie fan Rita Joubran, riding onto Kyle Field surrounded by her family and friends will be the experience of a lifetime.
“My husband was given two college applications when applying for college in the United States, and they were both for Texas A&M,” Rita says with a laugh. “He is a die-hard Aggie, and he made sure our kids ‘drank the Kool-Aid’ at a young age. Two of our three children now attend A&M.”
The Joubran family will be among the approximately 10,000 participants and 2,300 volunteers to roll into town May 3 with Bike MS: Texas MS 150, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s largest fundraiser, which for the first time will finish in BryanCollege Station.
A love of Texas A&M isn’t the only thing the Joubran family has in common. The family has also rallied around the Society’s mission to create a world free of multiple sclerosis after Rita’s diagnosis in 2009.
The then 33 year-old mother of three had suffered for eight years with various symptoms such as fatigue, mobility and vision problems. Eventually, a family friend diagnosed her with multiple sclerosis.
“He said, ‘You have a chronic disease, which they don’t have a cure for.’ Getting a diagnosis like that – it’s devastating,” Rita says. “I had a 10-year-old, 9-year-old and 8-year-old. I was so worried about the impact of this on my children. Am I going to be able to go to their games and take them to their activities? Who is going to braid my daughter’s hair if I’m disabled?
“You mourn the life you once thought you had, and you have to get used to a new life. I never knew how strong I was until I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This disease gave me a lot of perspective. It makes you realize what’s important.”
The Joubran family was introduced to Bike MS by an acquaintance named Nate. After hearing about her diagnosis, Nate said he wanted to do something to help, so he found the ride online and signed up in her honor.
“He brought me an orange bandanna and asked me to sign it,” Rita recalls. “I just started bawling. That he’d do this in my honor was just overwhelming.”
The Joubran family made their first visit to Bike MS’ then Finish Line in Austin to cheer on Nate.
“It was the most amazing experience. We were able to be there and see thousands of volunteers and riders,” Rita recalls. “It was really the moment that I felt like I was going to be alright.”
Her husband, Nabil, rode the following year, and Rita joined him the next. She says the variety of mile options, rest stops and support the Society offers along the routes makes it accessible for anyone.”
“This is a ride – not a race.” Rita says. “It’s something anyone can do.”
This year will mark the Joubrans’ ninth anniversary of completing Bike MS together, and they couldn’t be more excited about this year’s changes.
Society President Linda Bates said this year’s ride will feature two start lines – in Houston and Austin – before cyclists come together to spend the night in LaGrange and finally finish on Kyle Field.
“When we were looking for a new iconic place to move this ride, Kyle Field kept coming up,” Bates says. “We have riders from several different countries and from across the U.S. so we wanted to be in a community that would partner with us to create an extraordinary experience. The university and local businesses
NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY have all been incredibly welcoming and supportive.”
Bates says she is excited for the ride’s participants and volunteers to experience the area’s legendary hospitality and unique culture and for the Bryan-College Station community be part of Bike MS’ festival atmosphere.
“It’s a great opportunity to join us for a fun day and learn what we’re doing to fight MS,” Bates says. “We encourage the community to come out and be part of our community as we come into theirs.”
To learn more about Bike MS: Texas MS 150, visit bikemstexasMS150.org.
LAURA PEMBERTON
DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
When it comes to your health, it’s essential to have a team you trust by your side to keep you well, help you bounce back, and celebrate the little victories. At CHI St. Joseph and Texas A&M Health Network, we work together so you can get back to what’s most important.
is releasing a new service called caShopping!
The Chamber Spotlight shares company news with the community. New leadership, major changes, anniversaries, employee achievements - celebrate milestones with a message!
This is a low-cost Small Business Marketplace to help businesses sell their products to the online community. There are NO monthly costs to sellers and they only pay 5% per transaction. This is an affordable solution to businesses looking for more exposure for their products and stress-free experience during the setup process. To learn how to become a seller, contact one of our representatives at 979-209-0774.
is proud to recognize Ben Caldwell for 10 years of service with the company! Ben currently serves as the Chamber of Commerce Ambassador Chairman.
was recognized as the first-place recipient at the 2020 John P. McGovern Champion of Health Awards, presented by the Texas Medical Association Foundation. Health For All provides low-income, uninsured community members with free basic medical care. The first-place winner received $7,500 to help sustain and enhance their program.
proudly presented $500 to Brandi Trujillo in their ongoing Be Remarkable campaign. Brandi works for Express Employment Professionals and is a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador. Congratulations Brandi!
is excited to announce that the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD) recently recognized Matthew W. Sunseri as NACD Directorship CertifiedÔ. NACD Certified Directors, who earn NACD Directorship CertificationÔ, signal to boards, investors, and other stakeholders that they possess the highest commitment to continuing director education available in the United States.
The NACD Directorship Certification program, the only program of its kind in the United States, provides a tangible assessment of a director’s understanding of the essential knowledge required to lead in today’s boardrooms. Certification also facilitates continuous learning, and allows directors to showcase their governance knowledge to the companies they serve and to other stakeholders in the broader governance community.
one of Bryan/College Station’s most successful real estate management companies, is celebrating 30 years of excellence in the community. Since 1989, the company has invested more than $100 million purchasing and renovating more than 1000 properties in the area and consistently maintains one the highest occupancy rates in Aggieland. In addition to celebrating 30 years of success, Twin City Properties is also looking to the future with the announcement that Alex Sezer, Jr. has been named the company’s president. Sezer is a 2017 magna cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University and was a standout on the Texas A&M Football team. Team captain and winner of the Aggie Heart Award, Sezer was also recognized with The Distinguished Letterman Award his senior year. Throughout its 30-year history, Twin City Properties has become known for purchasing distressed and dilapidated properties in the community and turning them into quality rental homes. The company received attention for its $10 million-dollar project purchasing and renovating Bryan’s MidTown neighborhood, for which Twin City Properties received an award from the Bryan/College Station Apartment Association. The new award was named the Pederson/Threadgill Award in honor of company owners Doug Pederson and the late Jack Threadgill.
Kristi Fox Satsky with Unlocked Realty Group was inducted into the 2020 Dick Loughlin International Hall of Fame. The award is one of the highest honors in the company and is only presented to the most elite independent sales professionals in the Century 21 System. The award is given to one real estate agent in the Century 21 worldwide system each year, and she was chosen out of 135,000 agents worldwide.
“The Bryan College Station Chamber of Commerce provides resources for small businesses to grow and develop. In addition to lunch and learn sessions and networking opportunities like ribbon cuttings and the crawfish boil, the chamber also has a small business advisor to offer further guidance to its members.
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