Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce 75th Anniversary Gala Program

Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Gala

75th Anniversary

Friday, May 4, 2018

75th Anniversary Gala Sponsors Presenting Sponsor

In 1934, Clear Lake Bank & Trust began serving the Clear Lake community and soon became one of the charter members of the newly incorporated Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce. By 1941, the bank, with 10 employees and $1 in assets, was purchased by M.A. Arneson, the first of three generations to hold leadership in the company. M.A.’s son-in-law, Ray Hewitt, joined the bank as executive vice president and director in 1973 until 1976 when he was named president. Ray led the bank for many years until 1998, when his son, Mark, relocated to Clear Lake to serve as president and CEO.

Over the course of its rich 84 year history, Clear Lake Bank & Trust has marked several important milestones. In 1992, the bank began service in Hancock County after purchasing a failed bank in Garner. Their footprint was expanded again in 2007 with a new office location in Mason City and in 2013 with the acquisition of Community National Bank of Mason City. This year, a building expansion was completed in Clear Lake, adding additional office and meeting space for their growing employee and customer base.

Clear Lake Bank & Trust has been honored in many capacities throughout the years with recognition from the Small Business Administration, Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA), and most notably, receiving Top Iowa Workplace honors for seven consecutive years, making the bank one of only 10 companies in the state to receive such accolades. Leaders at the bank take great pride in their employees and believe that by hiring the best people and supporting them at work and home, Clear Lake Bank & Trust offers a career second to none.

While their numbers have changed – growing to 90 employees and $405 million in assets in 2018 – Clear Lake Bank & Trust remains at the heart of the Clear Lake community with its downtown location and active employee volunteerism. And as they did 75 years ago, Clear Lake Bank & Trust looks forward to many more collaborative years with the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the business community, and the residents of Clear Lake.

75th Anniversary Gala Sponsors Event Sponsors

Ballroom Sponsors

Printing Sponsors

Anniversary Sponsors

Table Sponsors

Gary & Diane Laabs Grabinkski Law Firm

Ticket Sponsors Julie McQuaid & Diana Symonds

What a special night! What a special event! What a special community that our Chamber represents.

We want to thank each of you for your continued and valued support of the Clear Lake Area Chamber as we gather to celebrate the organization’s 75th anniversary.

Clear Lake, Iowa is known for many things that are special and unique. Although one of our biggest assets, it has never been just about the Lake itself. The Surf Ballroom, the 4th of July festivities, the Color the Wind Kite Festival, and a variety of other events allow thousands of residents and visitors to enjoy our community each year. And with an ever-growing list of new opportunities and celebrations, growing businesses, and community advocates – new people are sure to continue to discover just how very exceptional Clear Lake is (thank you CBS!)

Clear Lake could not be where it is tonight without the hard work, dedication, and vision of our Chamber members. This evening, we will recognize ten Charter members who are still Chamber members today. This is quite a feat! We extend sincere gratitude to Clear Lake Bank & Trust (also our presenting sponsor tonight), CL Tel, NIACC, Clear Lake Mirror-Reporter, Woodford Lumber, Clear Lake Community Schools, Globe Gazette, Stillman Law Firm, Thrifty White, and the Clear Lake Lions Club.

We also want to say “thank you” to our sponsors for this evening’s gala. You will find them listed in your printed program, and many of them will appear on the video screen during the reception and dinner.

So, sit back, enjoy the company of your fellow community members, and give each other a pat on the back for all you have done to build and maintain a prosperous Clear Lake. Here’s to another 75 years of growth, development, and good times at the Lake!

Sincerely, Kristy Sagdalen King, Chair Clear Lake Area Chamber Board of Directors Dear Valued Chamber Members, The Magic of Clear Lake!!

That is exactly what Clear Lake, Iowa is to all of us – MAGIC!

I am so proud of this dynamic community and its support of our Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce over the past 75 years!! It is a testament to how residents feel not only about the Chamber, but their beloved piece of paradise called Clear Lake.

The Clear Lake Area Chamber is celebrating our 75th year in the following special ways: introducing several new programs in 2018 that hopefully will have a major impact on the community, as well as North Iowa; hosting our black-tie optional gala dinner this evening at the historic Surf Ballroom; a special Chamber travel tour to England to trace the legacy of the Beatles; and a reunion of our five Lake Leadership program participants later in the summer.

This evening, it is our honor to celebrate in a very special way. We want to recognize and thank our Charter members who are still members of our Chamber 75 years later.

We will continue to represent this community and our Chamber members in a way that will promote and thoughtfully sustain our terrific way of life and traditions here in Clear Lake!

Thanks again for a super 75 years. We’re anxious for what’s next for us!

Sincerely, Tim Coffey, M.A., IOM President & CEO, Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Menu Welcome to our 75th Anniversary Gala at the Surf.

Our Anniversary Committee has been planning this night since last summer. We thank you for attending, for being Chamber members, for your various levels of gala sponsorships, and most especially thank you to our ten Chamber Charter members who have remained loyal Chamber members since 1943.

We hope you enjoy the dinner, program and entertainment tonight. It’s our way of thanking you for everything all of you do to make Clear Lake that special community that we all love.

Bon Appetit Anniversary Committee Members

Diana Symonds

Deb Cash

McQuaid Agency

Farmers State Bank

Carrie Tysdahl

Stacie Gustafson

American Solutions for Business

Stephanie Burnette Celebrations Party & Wedding Store

Lake Chevrolet

Mariann Alcorn

Honorary First Mate

Menu

Appetizers Fresh Baked Breads Strawberry Spinach Salad Sliced Beef Tenderloin Chicken Breast in Puffed Pastry served with BĂŠarnaise Sauce Asparagus Dessert Samplers

Program Welcome

Kristy Sagdalen King Chair - Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

Invocation John Severtson

Dinner Master of Ceremonies

Mark Hewitt President & CEO - Clear Lake Bank & Trust

Program

Video Interviews of the following Charter Members

CL Tel

Clear Lake Bank & Trust Clear Lake Community Schools Clear Lake Mirror Reporter Clear Lake Lions Club Globe Gazette North Iowa Area Community College Thrifty White Pharmacy Woodford Lumber & Home Co.

Entertainment

Dance to the sounds of 50’s & 60’s Rock-n-Roll music Performed by the Split Second Band

Doormen

Scott Miller - Alpha Media

Tyler Weigel - CLB&T Insurance

Spotlight Provided by United Rentals Reception/Dinner CD’s Compliments of Terry & Mariann Alcorn

Past Chamber Presidents Harold Crane C.A. Pease John H. Perkins T.L. Sears Vic Young Harold Jorgenrud Dutch Schultz M.A. “Curly� Hintzman Chuck Lovell Dr. Edward Chapell James F. Connell Armour Pugh Robert Stuart Syd Thompson Wendell Wilcox Crosby Ingersoll Harold Thompson Arnold Moeller Del Owen John Powell Earl Nelson Robert B. Denny Vince Minette Argel Henningsen Donald L. Goranson Edward Kotz Sr. Carroll Anderson Joe Roth Ken Swan David (Tom) Miller Robert S. Halford Ken Bales Wayne Oltrogge Paul Heinz Gary Meehlhause Donna Johnson Dr. R.C. Jost Richard Minette

1943 1943 1944 1945 1946-47 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1973-74 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979

Thomas Jackson Curt Smith Ivan Reimer Dave Parks John C. Schlobohm Richard D. Casey Jr. Mark R. Schoeller Alan L. Berg Jim Hanley Harol G. Beckner Roger C. Walston Terry Peterson Lee Speaker Jeffrey H. Nicholas Dennis J. Lindell John Severtson William Sorbo Dano Morf David Theiss James M. Stanton Robert Swanson Win Watson Cindy Gabrielson John Cobb Paul Stevenson Shaun Finn Rodney Bernard Michael Finnegan Denni Sue Erickson Casey Callanan Mark Ebeling Alice Hanley Nate Carney Mark Ebeling Chris Masters Laurie Lietz Kristy Sagdalen-King

1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993-94 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017-18

Past Chamber Executive Director/ President & CEO’s Julius Jensen - 1946/6 months Roy Bates - 1947-1948/1 year, 4 months Ed Franks - 1949-1952/3 years, 5 months Jim Gilruth - 1952-1957/5 years Joseph Melnyk - 1957-1959/1 year Ed Lamson - 1959-1965/5 years, 11 months M.A. Hintgzman - 1965-1972/ 6 years, 11 months Robert Middleton - 1972-1974/2 years, 6 months Steven M. Ward - 1975-1978/ 3 years, 4 months William England - 1979/9 months David Voss - 1980-1981/1 year 5 months Steven M. Ward - 1981-1984/3 years, 5 months Richard Berrier - 1985-1987/2 years, 7 months Sharon Toyne - 1987-1990/2 years, 8 months Mark Snell - 1990-1993/2 years, 11 months David W. Collins - 1994-2006/12 years, 5 months Steven M. Ward - 2007-2008/1 year Gary Bright - 2008-2011/3 years, 9 months Timothy S. Coffey - 2012 - Current Day

Past EDC Presidents G. Wayne Wilcox - 1960-61 Mark Arneson - 1962-63 James F. Connell - 1964 Richard R. Scott - 1965-73 Richard R. Lashier - 1974-75 Tom Ouverson - 1976-77 A.W. (Dutch) Schultz - 1978 Wayne Oltrogge - 1979-80 Ed Schick Sr. - 1981-82 Robert S. Halford - 1983-85 James F. Connell - 1986 David Parks - 1987 Thomas A. Lovell - 1988-91 Gary Meehlhause - 1992 John T. Lynch - 1993-94 Terry Cobb - 1995 Larry Svoboda - 1996 Jim McQuaid - 1997 Larry Luker - 1997-98 William (Bill) E. Yohn - 1999 Mathew F. Berry - 2000 Dave Wamre - 2001 Mack Gabrielson - 2002 Gary L. Mrosko - 2003 Mark Hewitt - 2004 Thomas Lovell - 2005 David Theiss - 2006 Ed Schick, Jr. - 2007 Vickie Snyder - 2008 Tom Simmering - 2009

North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation

In 2010, discussions began about the possible merger of the Clear Lake Area Chamber Economic Development organization with the Economic Development organization of the Mason City Area Chamber. The merger was finalized in 2011, and is now known as the North Iowa Corridor Economic Development Corporation serving Cerro Gordo County.

Charter Members

Clear Lake Community Schools: Beginning in 1942, only 217 students walked the halls of Clear Lake High School.

As enrollment began to increase over the years, so did the community involvement, athletic and academic accolades. In the 1960’s, Clear Lake Schools initiated a pioneer program to combine classes with Ventura in order to provide better training to students. The Junior High was dedicated in January of 1978 after a devastating fire three years prior. In October of 1988, the Elementary School was dedicated.

The Clear Lake Lions have a tremendous history of achievements throughout the years, proving that hard work and perseverance really do pay off.

Football, Baseball and Golf have excelled to the State level on multiple occasions.

In the academic sector, the addition of the Sandbox Makerspace has been tremendous for the Middle School. Our Robotics Club began in 2016 and qualified for national competition. Project Lead the Way was recently launched at the elementary level with is a STEM based program and robotics for the younger kids.

Clear Lake students at every level have developed some great partnerships with local businesses, creating a unified front for our community.

Clear Lake Bank & Trust: CLB&T is one of our community’s premier companies with a rich history in Clear Lake. Opening in 1934 with only 10 employees and a single office, the bank has grown significantly in 84 years with 4 offices across North Iowa and more than 90 employees.

In its third generation of family ownership, Clear Lake Bank & Trust puts great emphasis on their employees, striving to hire the best people, supporting them at work and at home, and empowering them to be decision makers. This strategy has served the bank well with recognition as a Top Iowa Workplace for the past 7 years, an accomplishment shared with only 9 additional businesses in the state.

Clear Lake Bank & Trust prides itself on being a cornerstone supporter of the Clear Lake community through significant sponsorships and donations throughout each year. Knowing monetary support is a singular part of overall community success, the bank highly encourages volunteerism from employees.

As a result, CLB&T employees are present in leadership roles across many service clubs, fundraisers, boards of directors, and local non-profit organizations.

Mirror Reporter: The first Clear Lake newspaper, the Independent, was published on February 10, 1860. It continued publication for about a year before being moved to Hancock County. In 1869, the Observer was established.

After 2 years as proprietor, George E. Frost sold the office to Judge M.P. Rosecrans.

He, too, soon sold the office to parties in Belmond. Mr. Frost then purchased a new business and for a few years was the editor. In 1878, he sold to Mr. Bush who changed the name to the Clear Lake Mirror.

In 1896, J.C. Davenport established another weekly paper which he called the Clear Lake Reporter. These two publications combined under one owner when the Reporter purchased the Mirror in 1951. For a while, the Mirror published on Tuesdays and the Reporter published on Fridays. This went on until January of 1955 when the two joined together to become the Clear Lake MirrorReporter.

In 1983, the Mirror-Reporter was purchased by Prefin, Inc. The team of Dave Presler and Michael Finnegan comprised the business, as well as owning other area newspapers. Presler eventually moved on from the company and the focus was placed to ownership of the Clear Lake paper by Finnegan, selling off the other newspapers and concentrating all his efforts into the paper as it is now. Finnegan has achieved numerous accolades in his 34 years of ownership of the paper. In 2011, he was named a “Master Editor – Publisher” by the Iowa Newspaper Association. Just recently, the Mirror-Reporter was sold to MidAmerica Publishing Corporation with Ryan Harvey as the new Publisher.

The Mirror-Reporter is now a weekly publication and comes out every Wednesday.

Clear Lake Lions Club: The Clear Lake Lions Club is the oldest Lions Club in Iowa, formed in 1921.

They call themselves the “Noon Lions” but Noon is not really part of their name. This distinction is made so they are not confused with the “Evening Lions.”

They bought the land currently known as Lions Field and donated it to the Clear Lake School System. They have contributed numerous attributes to Clear Lake, including the shelter house at Touristville Park, the shelter house at Pine Tree Park, the walking paths at Vision One, and the fountain gazebo building in City Park.

A highlight for the Lions is their annual Chicken BBQ, held the 3rd Sunday in July in downtown Clear Lake. Thousands of people line the streets around City Park to partake in this delicious meal.

Globe Gazette: The Globe Gazette, known locally as simply ‘The Globe”, is a daily morning newspaper published in Mason City. It traces its history all the way back to 1858, but was then called the Cerro Gordo Press, after the county in which it resides. In 1925, it acquired its current name, but since it began had been known as the Republican, the Express, the ExpressRepublican, the Freeman, the Western-Democrat, the Herald, the Time-Herald, the Gazette, and then finally the Globe. The newspaper was originally published in the afternoon Monday through Saturday. But in 1977, the Saturday edition switched to a morning publication. In 1981, all publication switched to a morning schedule which seems fitting as the population generally enjoys the paper over a morning cup of coffee!

The Sunday publication of the Globe made its first run in 1985. While the Globe-Gazette is published in Des Moines, they provide quality journalism throughout the North Iowa Area, including Clear Lake. Their coverage of Clear Lake school activities, community events and issues exceeds their reputation over the years.

NIACC: NIACC, which began as Mason City Junior College in 1918, has the distinction of being the very first public two-year college in Iowa and one of the first such institutions in the country. The idea was formulated at a PTA meeting in 1916 and their first classes were held on the top floor of the high school building with only 28 students.

In the mid-1950’s, the College moved from the high school building to the Memorial University Building on Roosevelt campus. It remained there for 12 years and grew in enrollment by twenty percent.

NIACC moved to its new home in 1970 and construction began adding new buildings. In 1972, dormitories were built to house over 450 students, and by 1979, the Auditorium was completed.

Today, the 500-acre campus consists of multiple state-of-the-art facilities, including the recent addition of the new dormitories. They offer more than 50 programs that take one or two years to complete, and many transferable classes to those looking to move on toward their Bachelor’s Degree. On average, the College serves over 3,700 degree students each year and thousands more through noncredit programs.

Stillman Law Firm: Legend has it that E.B. Stillman rode into Clear Lake on his Indian Motor Coach and just set up shop as a one person attorney office.

The new law firm was aptly named Stillman Law Firm.

Stillman Law Firm That was in 1913.

The firm that survives Mr. Stillman covers many areas of law practice. There is the general practice of law, and the following specialties areas: estate planning, real estate, legal service plans, and family law.

Attorneys that are or have been part of the firm include: Don Goranson, retired, who joined the firm in the 1940’s; Phil Stone became active with the firm in 1977; Tom Lovell, now General Manager of CL Tel, joined the firm in the 1970’s; and finally Charlie Bieberscheimer, who joined the firm in the 1990’s.

If you add up all of the years of legal practice among the attorneys who have worked at Stillman Law Firm, it would be over 180 years of experience. The office is located on Main Avenue in Clear Lake.

A few fun facts related to Mr. Stillman. He served as the School Board attorney for over 60 years. That is the key reason the high school auditorium has been named after him – the E.B. Stillman Auditorium. He also was a charter member of the Clear Lake Rotary Club when it was founded in 1920.

SL

Thrifty White Pharmacy: Originally Corner Drug, the pharmacy opened in 1934 on the corner of 4th & 3rd Streets in Clear Lake (which is now the Red Geranium). The store was started by pharmacist Guy Wiskerhoff and a school teacher by the name of John Roseland. While in business, it became the ‘place to be’ for an after school refresher of Cherry Cokes and Milkshakes.

In 1959, Jack Roseland bought out his father’s share of the company. A year later, in 1960, Bob Tanner bought out Guy Wiskerhoff. Eventually, Gordan Rosenthal bought Jack’s half of the company and it was owned and operated by him and Bob Tanner.

In 1970, the two men had the opportunity to purchase the old bank building on the corner of 4th & Main. Being that the new location was on a corner, they were able to keep the same name, Corner Drug, until 2004 when they sold the business to Thrifty White.

Thrifty White was founded in 1957 with the first store being in Brainerd, Minnesota. Today, they have 95 locations throughout the Midwest. Their primary focus is pharmacy business along with associated drug store operations.

In 2015, they moved into their current location on Hwy 18. Their commitment to community starts with the local business owner.

CL Tel: CL Tel has been pioneering new services for area residents throughout its 108-year-old history. They are a full service telecom and broadband service provider offering telephone, internet, long distance, digital cable, TV, wireless, video conferencing, paging and phone store services.

CL Tel offered phone service in 1878, just two years after it was invented.

They continued expanding their area and making advancements through the years.

In 1982, they ushered in the information age with a new NEC digital switch. In 1991, they offered cellular phone service, and in 1994 they were the first in Clear Lake to provide local access to the global internet. They celebrated their 100th anniversary by installing more fiber optic cable. Over the next several years, they continued to upgrade and expand the fiber optic network, making them pioneers of this incredible innovation and technology in our area.

CL Tel’s mission is to connect you to the world and your loved ones via advanced technology while supporting you with professional, friendly, local service.

Woodford Lumber & Home Co: Businessman Truman Woodford owned a lumberyard in Milwaukee, and in 1869 opened another in Clear Lake. The beauty of the lake and surrounding prairie land drew him to the area. The railroad had arrived in town by that time and fueled the growth of settlement in Clear Lake, making it easy for shipping lumber and supplies. His brother, George Woodford, purchased an interest in the business in 1879. George’s son, C.R., took over as manager in 1890 after the passing of his father.

The business is now in the hands of the fifth generation. Throughout the years, the Woodford, Ashland, Connell and Lovell families have been involved in the ownership and management of the business.

As the growth of the business developed over the years, so did the relationship with suppliers and vendors. Their partnership with Benjamin Moore elevated Woodford Lumber into the category of innovative and forward-thinking and brought to us the first brand of no VOC paint.

Woodford Lumber is a staple in the Clear Lake community and works hard for the customer. They believe in the golden rule of business: and look for ways to provide a quality living for all Clear Lake.

There you go, folks. What an amazing list of businesses.

We congratulate them all for being our Ten Charter Members of the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce!

Board of Directors

Jay Allen

Chelsy Anderson

Deb Cash

Allen Travel

Snyder Construction

Farmers State Bank

Denni Sue Erickson

Stacie Gustafson

Allan Gochanour

Ward Van-Slyke

Lake Chevrolet

Kristy Sagdalen-King Michael Knorr Bergland + Cram

Accord Archietecture

Larson’s Mercantile

Jay LeFevre

First Gabrielson Agency

Board of Directors

Laurie Lietz

Dan Nichols CL Tel

First Citizens Bank

Natalie Plagge

Diana Symonds

Kent Thoe

Surf Ballroom

Clear Lake Bank & Trust

Sarah Nielsen

McQuaid Agency

Carrie Tysdahl

American Solutions for Business

MBT Bank

Chris Van Norman McKesson

Chamber Staff

Tim Coffey, M.A., IOM

Patsy Barraggy

President & CEO 7 Years

Administrative Assistant 9 Years

Trish Fundermann

Libbey Hohn

Special Projects Director 22 Years

Tourism Director 8 Years

Gail Robinson

Rachel Smith

Visitor Center Specialist 11 Years

Communications Coordinator 1 Year