Clear Lake Chatter 1

New 2022-2023 Clear Lake Chamber Board Chairman J.P. Morris of b1Bank presents 2021-2022 Chamber Chairman Kristi Koncaba with a token of appreciation during the 60th Anniversary Chamber Gala What a great evening the Clear Lake Chamber Gala turned out to be. Enjoying it all are, from left. State Sen. Larry Taylor, Stephanie Tanner of State Rep. Miles Middleton’s office, Sarah and Justin Ferguson of Home Bank, 2021-2022 Chamber Board Chairman Kristi Koncaba and her husband, Home Bank Texas Marketing President Kenny Koncaba and Chamber Executive Officer Jacob Bigger and his finacee, Jennifer Farlow. Chamber Vice President Shari Sweeney, right, gets a big hug of appreciation from her daughter, Sloan, as they conclude work on the gala decorations. Don and Kimberly O’Connor join the crowd at the Clear Lake Chamber Gala at South Shore Harbour Resort.

CLEAR LAKE CHAMBER GALA MARKS 60TH ANNIVERSARY

SIXTY YEARS! Yet, for some, it’s seems like just yesterday the Clear Lake Area Chamber was opening for business. Today, it is a bustling business itself, helping Bay Area businesses rise and shine.

On Oct. 7 the membership gathered at South Shore Harbour Resort to celebrate the special anniversary with a Blast to the Past celebration that featured neon decorations, lava lamps and costume attire saluting the Sixties. The event honored 2021-2022 Chairman of the Board Kristi Koncaba of Home Bank, welcomed new Chairman of the Board J.P. Morris with b1BANK, recognized the Chamber leadership and celebrated the membership.

Much to the delight of Richard and Jennifer

Simmons, Mike and Traci Furin, Byron and Cindy Hebert, Jill Reason, Marcy Fryday, Myrna Baker, Rebecca Lilly, Rick Rivera, Jason and

Melinda Mintz. plus South Shore Harbour Resort execs Roy Green and Bridget Bear, who worked so hard with the chamber members to make it a success.

They had barely had time to say hello when in walked UH-Clear Lake President Dr. Richard Walker, BAHEP President-Elect Brian Freedman and his wife, Erica, Chamber President Cindy DeWease and her husband Jeff DeWease, and Chamber Vice President Shari Sweeney and her husband, Don Sweeney, followed by Home Bank Texas Marketing President Kenny Koncaba with his wife, Chamber Board Chairman Kristi Koncaba, followed by Emmeline Dodd, Pam

Ploss, Don and Kimberly O’Connor, Jim and Jane Sweeney, Lisa Holbrook, Bruce Chandler and Wendy Shaw, Paul and Hillary Gramm and Shawn and Susan Bailey.

State Sen. Larry Taylor served as the evening’s emcee. After former Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith swore in the new board members, Bay Area Houston Ballet & Theatre dancers kicked off the program with “Welcome to the Sixties” from Hair Spray. 12

PRP Entertainment and Jill Rauscher School of Dance got the guests on the dance floor, and later in the evening to party into the night. Underwriters for the event were Community Health Network, Home Bank, UHCL and UTMB Health. Several elected officials joined the celebration, including State Reps, Dennis Paul and Dr. Greg Bonnen and their wives, Eliza and Kim; Mayors Thom Kolupski of Seabrook, Jon Keeney of Taylor Lake Village and Phil Johnson of Nassau Bay, Nassau Bay City Secretary Sandra Ham and Councilors Ashley Graves, Michelle Weller and James Abbey; plus Councilmen Tom Tollett and Joe Machol of Seabrook, Doug Meisinger of Kemah, Bob Davee of Taylor Lake Village and Clear Creek ISD Trustee Jonathan Cottrell, with their wives and escorts.

For dinner they enjoyed ribeye steaks with fire roasted red pepper sauce, asparagus, and broiled parmesan tomatoes with creamy scalloped potatoes, plus turtle cheesecake and chocolate ganache cake for dessert.

Members of the Chamber’s 2022-2023 Board of Directors are Bridget Bear, South Shore Harbour Resort; Graham Bell, Kemah Capital; Sherry Camacho, HCA Houston Healthcare Clear Lake; Jay Coppock, Associated Credit Union of Texas; Brian Freedman, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership; Ezreal Garcia, Community Health Network; Miyosha Hayes-Weston, World Famous Daiquiris and Margaritas To Go #2; Kevin Lardie, Gay Family Auto; Patrick McAndrew, True North Marine; Alice McCalla, Fully Promoted; Christopher Patel, LyondellBasell Industries; Scott Stillman, LPL Financial; Laurian Tollett, DRDA CPA’S; and Becky Trout Unbehagen, UTMB Health.

Glancing around, you might also have spotted attorneys Dick Gregg and his son Chris Gregg and their wives, Kaye and Mitzi, CIS-Bay Area Executive Director Dr. Peter Wuenschel and his wife Debbie, Big Star Cadillac Marketing Director Chris Premont with his wife, Nina; bankers

Jennifer and Leon Coe, Lisa and Mike Cornett, Carina and Josh Jones; Debbie and Phil and Ginger Pampolina, Linda and Danny Nguyen, Darrell and Fay Picard, Paul and Hillary Gramm

and Mark Mitchell and Travis Schwope of Mayor Protem Dave Martin’s office.

Faced with a fast-growing population and the need to promote the area, the Clear Lake Chamber was formed in 1962 through the merger of the Seabrook and Kemah Chambers of Commerce. At first, it was called the Seabrook-Bay Area Chamber, but with the addition of Kemah, the name was officially changed to the Clear Lake Chamber with the late Jack Campbell – considered the founder – overseeing the merger and setting it on the course to promote tourism and enhance the quality of life in the Bay Area. Campbell got the 45-member organization on its feet during its inaugural year by adding some 600 new members – 141 of them he signed up himself!

Talk about having fun. Kimberly O’Connor, Emmeline Dodd, Wendy Shaw and Pam Ploss, from left, get together for a great photo taken by Wendy’s fiancé, Bruce Chandler, during the Clear Lake Area Chamber’s 60th Anniversary Celebration Friday, Oct. 7 at South Shore Harbour Resort.