December 2019 Chambergram

December 2019

CHAMBERGRAM
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce

Pasadena Chamber Announces Sherry Bufkin
as the 2019 Citizen of the Year

Message From the Upcoming Annual Chamber
Chairman Events Gala

From Ken Phelps, 2019 Chairman of Learn about the events we’ve got Find out about the special awards
the Board coming up at the Chamber given out at this years Gala

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In This Issue...

3 - Board Member Spotlight
4 - Welcome New Members
5 - Ribbon Cuttings
6 - Platinum Partners
7 - Platinum Member Spotlight
8 - 2020 Sponsorship Opportunities
9 - Business Honor Roll
10 - 2019 Citizen of the Year
11 - 2019 Annual Gala
12 - Chamber Papparazzi
13 - Chamber Papparazzi Continued
14 - Thank You Thursday / Ambassador Spotlight
15 - Pasadena Chamber Award Nominations
16 - Welcome Brenda Chamblee
17 - Discover Pasadena Online Talk Show
18 - Upcoming Events
19 - Contact Your Chamber

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Message From the
Chairman of the Board

Ken Phelps
Chairman of the Board

Phelps Insurance

Hello Pasadena Chamber Members, has created an award to recognize non-profits and
named it the “Jackie Welch Spirit of Community
I have had the honor of working with some of Award”.
Pasadena’s finest while serving as the Chairman of the I would also like to thank my good friend Melinda Torrison
Board for the Chamber in 2019. for being such a huge supporter of the Chamber and
myself this year, and I am excited to pass the torch to
While we have certainly achieved some exciting her and welcome her as Chairman in 2020. I will be
things this year, including implementing a new event, there for her every step of the way as she was for me
Breakfast with Champions, the highlight of the year for thoughout 2019 (until she tells me to leave her alone).
me has been watching the new leadership program, Thank you to the Chamber staff for all of your hard work
IMPACT Pasadena come together. It has been a and for making such a difference in our great city. You
blessing to work with the incredible people who guys are amazing.
helped make the program a reality. And watching All The Best,
the 11 participants who went through the program Ken Phelps
grow and work with the mentors who were generous
enough to share their wisdom has been something I’ll Ken Phelps passing the gavel to incoming Chairman Melinda Torrison at the 2019
never forget. Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Annual Gala.

The Annual Gala was also a very exciting night for
me. I was so proud to watch a few very deserving
people be recognized; Sherry Bufkin received the well-
deserved honor of Citizen of the Year. She has been
giving back to the community for years and her selfless
acts do not go unnoticed. She is one of those people
who has done more wonderful acts and touched
more lives than any of us will ever know. I am lucky
to call her a life-long friend and I could not think of a
more deserving person.

At the end of the night, Jackie Welch was honored
with the Lifetime Member Award. She is always there
documenting the important events and moments for
everyone involved. And taking pictures at events may
be what everyone thinks of first, but it only scratches
the surface of how she generously gives back to the
community. This makes it so fitting that the Chamber

4 Chambergram Welcome NOT A MEMBER YET?
New
Become a chamber member
Members! today! As a member you’ll have
Pasadena access to our marketing benefits,
Chamber of Commerce
exciting events & more!
4334 Fairmont Pkwy.
Pasadena, TX 77504 Join the Pasadena Chamber

Executive Board Say Hello To Our New Members...

Ken Phelps - Chairman, Phelps Insurance Gold
James Guthrie – Past Chair, Thrivent Financial
Legacy Community Health Multi-War Veterans Protective
Melinda Torrison - Chairman Elect, Latisha Hull Security LLC
Meador Staffing Services
(832) 548-5000 Michael Rinehart
Salvador Serrano - Vice Chair of Finance, legacycommunityhealth.org (888) 906-7178
The Serrano Agency mvpsecurity.us

Deborah Moseley - Secretary, Silver
The Bridge Over Troubled Waters
Chuy’s
Alix Fox, Qualified Properties Stephanie Kralik
Samuel Jimenez, McDonalds (281) 998-0400
Dr. John Mrozek, D.C., Ed.D, Texas
chuys.com
Chiropractic College
Michael D. West, West & West, LLP Balance FizziCo Bronze
Leticia Chaw
Board of Directors (832) 299-5256 Cardiology Specialists of Houston
Leslie Burch

(713) 944-1690
Mustansir “Mus” Abbas, PostNet cardiology-houston.com
Lee Betancourt, AT&T Business
Internal Medicine of Pasadena
Josh Campos, Frost Bank Felicia Phillips
Steven Foster, FACHE, CHI St. Lukes Health - (713) 947-9508

Patients Medical Center internalmedicinepasadena.com
Stacy Gillaspey, Communities In Schools

Dr. Tommy Hysler, Houston Area
Safety Council

Denise Jennings, LyondellBasell
Margie Pena, BakerRipley

Gary Piana, Chevron Phillips
Jeffrey Reich-Hale, Unique & Fresh Consulting

Ryan Taylor, T & T Construction
Linda Wischnewsky, Bayway Auto Group

Ex-Officio Directors

Nelson Espitia, Harris Co. Precinct 2
Pedro Garcia, Port of Houston Authority

Rick Guerrero, Pasadena Economic
Development Corporation

Dr. Allatia Harris, San Jacinto College
Dr. DeeAnn Powell, Pasadena ISD

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Welcome to all who have recently joined the Pasadena

Chamber of Commerce! Welcome to our family!

Amigo Energy

Tune Up The Manly Salon - Pasadena

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Platinum Partners

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Platinum Member Spotlight

SER Construction Partners, LLC specializes in heavy civil construction
services across Texas, including the greater Houston area and
throughout South Texas. With over 150 years of combined construction
experience, our management team has successfully completed
hundreds of civil construction projects, and our specialized field
operation crews are organized to ensure efficiency and provide
innovative construction solutions.

SER’s unique ability to self-perform nearly 90% of its work leads to a
diligent and steady progression of the project from start to finish, resulting
in a significant value to SER’s customers. While we work closely with
strategic subcontract partners, we don’t rely on others to get the project
completed.

SER is proud of the strong relationships that it has built with each of its
customers for over 20 years, which are the result of SER’s solutions-driven
approach. Our company culture promotes cooperation, innovation,
and strategic partnering with our customers to achieve a cost-efficient
and timely resolution to unforeseen issues.

Learn more by visiting our website.

The Independent, Locally Owned Alternative
For Owner Managed Businesses

TexasCitizensBank.com
713.948.5700

© Copyright 2018 Texas Citizens Bank, N.A. All rights reserved.

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The Dates Are Set For Our 2020 Pasadena Chamber Events!
Get Ahead and Secure Your Sponsorships Today! Your company’s branding will be visible on all event

webpages as soon as you secure your sponosrships!

CLICK HERE to view all 2020 Sponsorship Opportunities

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Business Honor Roll

We applaud these individuals, organizations, and firms that have renewed their financial
commitment to the growth of our community through their continued investment in the
chamber. We appreciate each and every one of you.

5-9 years 21-25 years

Associated Credit Union (Inside H.E.B.) Shared Resources Credit Union
Blessed Dental Texas Bay Credit Union - Fuqua

CT Church Houston Williamson Chiropractic
Edible Arrangements
Industrial Air Tool LLP 26-50 years
Moody Gardens Inc
Silver Sycamore Dining Events & Bed & Breakfast Brotherton Properties
City of Pasadena
10-15 years
Naegeli Transportation Inc
CHI St. Luke’s Health - Patients Medical Center Pasadena Historical Society
Cother Air Conditioning & Heating Inc Pasadena Strawberry Festival
Express Self Storage
Rotary Club of Pasadena Pasadena Taxi
Southeast Dermatology PA
16-20 years University of Houston-Clear Lake

Broadwater Apartments
Sarah’s House

Thrivent Financial
Zachry Holdings Incorporated

Visit PasadenaChamber.org to find out
how YOU can become a member of our

Chamber!

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Sherry Bufkin Named The Pasadena Chamber’s

2019 Citizen of the Year

WHATEVER YOUR On Thursday, December 12th, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
FINANCIAL GOALS ... presented the 2019 Citizen of the Year award to Mrs. Sherry Bufkin of
Allegiance Bank. Although it took a lot of work to sneak her family,
We’ll help you reach them. friends and co-workers into the Gala so she could be surprised, it
was definetly worth it to share the experience of joy with her and
Thrivent Financial offers a full range of products, services and tools to help everyone in the room.
you achieve financial security, including:
About Sherry: Raised in Pasadena with a heart to serve and a
• Life insurance • Estate and legacy strategies determined spirit combined with a willingness to do whatever is
• Retirement options • Education funding options asked, Sherry started out many years ago as a volunteer with several
• Annuities • Managed accounts community organizations and has served on every committee for
• Health insurance • Retail brokerage every major event with the Chamber. Working tirelessly to recruit
• Mutual funds sponsors, giving time, talent and treasure to ensure events like the
Annual Industrial Appreciation Golf Tournament and Taste of the
We’ll create a financial strategy that reflects your goals and values. Town are a success. These events provide scholarship opportunities
to area students and support our local businesses, a priority to this
Jerry Roth James A Guthrie powerhouse. Sherry has been involved in the Pasadena Livestock
MBA, CFP®, FIC FIC Show and Rodeo since the 70’s, is an active member of the Pasadena
Wealth Advisor Financial Associate Rotary Club, and a part of the banking community for over 47 years.
She is a proud representative of Allegiance Bank and has continued
281-461-6200 • 17450 El Camino Real • Houston, TX 77058 to serve through her involvement with the Pasadena Chamber of
Commerce. She and her husband Roy have hosted their Winter
Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® Wonderland Christmas for 25 years as a gift to the community. Our
and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ in the U.S. 2019 Citizen of the Year has long epitomized her motto, “Those who
can, do. Those who can do more, volunteer” and for that we are all
Thrivent was named one of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” by Ethisphere Institute for truly grateful.
our leadership in promoting ethical business standards and introducing innovative ideas to
benefit the public. “World’s Most Ethical Companies” and “Ethisphere” names and marks are Congratulations to Sherry Bufkin on being named the 2019 Citizen of
registered trademarks of Ethisphere LLC. For details, visit Ethisphere.com. the Year!

Insurance products issued or offered by Thrivent Financial, the marketing name
for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all
states. Securities and investment advisory services are offered through Thrivent Investment
Management Inc., 625 Fourth Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55415, a FINRA and SIPC member
and a wholly owned subsidiary of Thrivent. Thrivent Financial representatives are registered
representatives of Thrivent Investment Management Inc. They are also licensed insurance
agents/producers of Thrivent. Investment advisory services, including fee-based financial
planning services, are available through qualified investment advisor representatives only.
For additional important information, visit Thrivent.com/disclosures.

Thrivent.com • 800-847-4836 20328 R4-18

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A night
celebrating
leaders, a “next
level” chairman

and truly
remarkable men

& women.

After Citizen of the Year was announced at the Annual Gala, the night still
had many more recognitions to give. We said goodbye to six retiring board
members; Lee Betancourt with AT&T, James Guthrie with Thrivent Financial,
Denise Jennings with LyondellBasell, Dr. John Mrozek with Texas Chiropractic
College, Gary Piana with Chevron Phillips Chemical Co., and Michael West
with West & West. Because this was the Inaugural year for IMPACT Pasadena,
we held a small graduation ceremony for the 2019 cohort and introduced the
new 2020 participants. We were also able to honor our outgoing Chairman
of the Board, Mr. Ken Phelps of Phelps Insurance, and intoduce the 2020
Chairman, Mrs. Melinda Torrison of Meador Staffing Services. Our keynote
speaker, Texas Railroad Commissioner Mr. Ryan Sitton, dazzled the crowd
with impactful stories of his journey and how he got to where he is today, as
well as enlightened the audience with what he believes makes a true leader.
The night couldn’t have ended on a better note, as we were able to
surprise Mrs. Jackie Welch with the honorable Pasadena Chamber Lifetime
Membership Award, an award given to 22 individuals in our organizations
history. This award is given to Jackie because of committment and service,
not just of the Chamber, but of the entire community. Jackie is someone
who truly lives a life devoted to giving and serving others in need. To view all
the pictures from the Annual Gala, please visit our Facebook Page.

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Chamber Paparazzi

Photo Credit: Guests enjoyed their time at the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce Annual Gala. The night included
Mrs. Jackie Welch awarding Sherry Bufkin as the 2019 Citizen of the Year, swearing in the 2020 Board of Directors, 2019
IMPACT Pasadena graduation ceremony, keynote speaker Ryan Sitton, awarding Mrs. Jackie Welch
with the Pasadena Chamber Lifetime Member Award, and much more! To view all of the event
pictures, please follow our Facebook page by CLICKING HERE

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Thank You Thursday

“Thank You Thursday” is an initiative we started in an effort to show gratitude to our loyal
members who have been with us for many, many years. Our staff and Ambassadors
surprise a few members with a Facebook Live video and gifts once per month.

Pasadena Sporting Goods - 63 Years Du-West Services - 32 Years

Billy Lowery Automotive - 29 Years South Main Baptist Church - 34 Years

Ambassador Spotlight

Greta Davis | LoneStar Promo Products

I am the Co-Owner of LoneStar Promo Products with my husband Dusty Davis.
We are a family owned and operated promotional products, custom apparel
and signage company located here in Pasadena. We have over 100,000
different products to choose from on our website and our customer support
is ready to help you find just the right one. LoneStar Promo Products has been
helping local businesses promote their brand since 2016 and before that
we were Davis Signs since 2005. Promotional Products are more than a pen
with your logo. Promotional products are your business cards, your company
statement, your support for the community. Promotional products tell a story.
Which is why finding the right one is so very important. Getting it all right is what
we care about. We also know making that special connection with a client is
important. So, during this time of the year, we are busy working on corporate
and personalized gifts. Clients have the option of choosing from products we have on hand or bringing in
their own items to be laser engraved, embroidered, sublimated or heat pressed with their design of choice.
Our focus is not just on providing quality products but also building strong relationships with our clients and our
community. Learn more by visiting our website.

Beautification Awards

The Classic Club of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce selects three local businesses
each month for a Beautification Award, thanking them for their efforst to beautify our
community.

Congrats to the following businesses and thank you for

Place Your Nominationskeepingourcommunitybeautiful!
Mae Smith Elementary - Landscaping

Sam Rayburn Early College - New Building
It is time to nominate a deserving company for the title oPfa2sa02d0enBausIinnteesrfsaoithf tMheanYoera-rR,eInndouvsattriyonof

the Year & Non-Profit Organization of the Year for those companies who have gone above a
If you have someone you’d like to nominate for office.
and beyond in giving back to our community. beautification award, please contact the Chamber

*New This Year
If the business that you would like to nominate has previously been an award recipient, we
still encourage you to nominate them, as they are still eligible to be voted an award winner
again.

Please nominate a deserving business today and send nominations to
[email protected] by December 31, 2019.

Congratulations again to our 2019 award recipients:

Chamber InBusiness of Year: PinnacleART The Community

Industry of Year: Waste Management
Spirit of Community (Non-Profit): Neighborhood Network

Click HERE for a full list of past recipients
Submit a Nomination Online
Download Nomination Form

Sincerely, Pasadena Chamber President & CEO Cristina Womack, 2020
Chairman Melinda Torrison and 2021 Chairman Alix Fox attended
Cristina Womack
PasadePnareCsihdaemnbte&r PCreEsOident & CEO Cristina Womack the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executive’s Chairman’s
FacaenbdoPPoakasalsivadeedvneidaneMaoauCyroghrinaJgemfrfebWsiedaregonntfesCrtopoacmortimcmipeeaortcueteitnoathe Conference in Georgetown, TX.

Pasadena Can-Do Food Drive and get into the holiday spirit
of giving to the community we love so much!

Please join us in welcoming
Brenda Chamblee to our Chamber staff!

Brenda will serve as the Member Services Coordinator. Brenda is a graduate of the University of
Houston-Clear Lake where she earned a Bachelor’s in Behavioral Science. Brenda comes to the
Pasadena Chamber of Commerce with over 15 years’ experience in human resources and talent

acquisition along with extensive event management experience.
Brenda has been a resident of Pasadena for most of her life and has a passion for community service.
Brenda’s objective for accepting the role at our Chamber is to continue to build lasting relationships

within the Chamber and to make a positive impact within our community. Brenda hopes to be a
great asset to the Chamber and its members and looks forward to working with the community to

build a better future for the wonderful city of Pasadena!
You may contact Brenda at [email protected]

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On behalf of all of us here at the Pasadena Chamber
of Commerce, we want to wish you all a very Merry

Christmas and a happy New Year!
We can’t wait to see you all again in 2020!

SaveThe Date!

Pasadena Chamber of Commerce
Annual State of the City

Featuring Pasadena Mayor Jeff Wagner
Thursday, February 20, 2020

Pasadena Convention Center

DID You Have A Member Portal On Our Website!
YOU
KNOW? Your Chamber membership includes an online portal on our
website. Here you can update your information, add events,
post job opportunities, and even add photos and videos to your
profile.

Not sure what your log-in information is? Contact any of us at
the Chamber to help: (281) 487-7871

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Connecting Your Community

The Purpose of the Pasadena Chamber is to ADVOCATE & CONNECT
our community through SERVING & EDUCATING our members

Contact YOUR Chamber Staff

Cristina Womack Jamie Huffar Erin Webb
President/ CEO Director of Finance Director of
Marketing & Media
& Operations

Julianne Echavarria Brenda Chamblee Elizabeth Cox
Events & Programs Member Services Member Relations

Coordinator Coordinator Coordinator

Follow The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce 4334 Fairmont Parkway
on Social Media! Pasadena, TX 77504

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