Chamber honors outstanding leaders, businesses

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce’s 35th annual awards dinner Jan. 20 at the Gulf Greyhound Park was yet another outstanding event. Nine outstanding leaders were honored at the dinner with more than 230 participants.

The chamber was honored by Roney McCrary, College of the Mainland trustee, to issue the oath of office for the board of directors installation and swearing in. Fay Picard, chamber president/CEO, and Monica O’Neal, event chairwoman, and their committee welcomed the crowd with, “you are all diamond to us, a cut above all the rest.”

The awards dinner is a thank you for helping the Santa Fe chamber become a dynamic chamber and a time to join with us as we honor those who were the diamonds of the community and to set the pace for an exciting and fun-filled 2012.

The Santa Fe chamber is celebrating 41 years as a great chamber, and it will continue to be as long as we have members like you.

As a corporate body, we face the future 2012 boldly without hesitation and confident as always that our interest in the community is well directed. We heartily invite you to join or continue to go with us along this adventure into the new year. We are indebted to our past and current directors, staff and members who have kept this organization going. We hope you will make our interests your interests for many years to come.

Congratulations to the Outstanding Leadership award winners: Man of the Year — Joe Dickson, Santa Fe city manager; Woman of the Year — Mary Key, Sunrise Realty; Citizen of the Year — Robert Bear, Santa Fe Texas Education Foundation board; Business of the Year — Ron Carter Automotive; Public Servant — David Hefner, EMS; Volunteers of The Year — Janie Watkins, CenterPoint Energy; and Susan Johnston, owner of ForeverWell LLC; Chairman’s Award — Patti Abschneider, Mainland Medical Center.

The Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce expresses its gratitude to the many members and volunteers who worked so hard in 2011.

A huge thank you to the awards dinner committee, event sponsors, auction item contributors and the many volunteers who helped make this evening a night to remember.

A special thanks to Santa Fe Pawn & Music, Stacie Tassin, Jessica McDonald, Jesica Green and Steven Bosco, and thanks to our presenting sponsors, AMOCO Federal Credit Union and CenterPoint Energy.

Fay Picard serves as president of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce.