H.E.A.R.T. September/October 2023

40 Under 40 Education and Workforce Matters

Leadership Longview New Class

Have You Leveraged Your Membership?

– Lynn G. l Cardiac Ablation

Longview Chamber of Commerce Staff

Kelly Hall President/CEO 903.237.4004 khall@longviewTexas.com

David Jochum Chief Operating Officer 903.237.4023 djochum@longviewTexas.com

Susan Roberts Investor Relations 903.237.4000 sroberts@longviewTexas.com

Spencer Sallee Business Manager 903.237.4013 ssallee@longviewTexas.com

Shawna Stewart Investor Support 903.237.4000 sstewart@longviewTexas.com

Catherine Camp Program Coordinator 903.237.4009 ccamp@longviewTexas.com

Kathryn Pedroza Communications Coordinator 903.237.4013 kpedroza@longviewTexas.com

2023 CHAMBER EVENTS

BUSINESS AFTER HOURS

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 4:45 pm – 6:30 pm H VeraBank

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24 4:45 pm – 6:30 pm H Stone Works

40 UNDER 40 WORKSHOP WITH JOHN GRUBBS

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 18 10:00 am – 2:00 pm H Infinity Event Center

STATE OF WORKFORCE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 11:30 am – 1:00 pm H Pinecrest Country Club

CHAMBER CLASSIC GOLF TOURNAMENT

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 12:30 pm H Pinecrest Country Club

2023 Officers

Jessica LaRue Chair Harbour Smith Harris & Merritt

Steve Gordon Chair-Elect Longview Regional Medical Center

Kevin Hood Past-Chairman Texas Bank and Trust

Jill Alley Chair of Finance Eastman Credit Union Vice Chairs

Brian Daugbjerg Vice Chairman Longview Scrap & Metal Company Mark Robinson Vice Chairman AEP Southwestern Electric Power Company Directors

Ray Bostick Gregg County

Michael Clements Jr. PDQ America, LLC

Andrew Coggins Eastman Chemical Company, Texas Operations

Adrienne Deason Henry & Peters, P.C.

Don Deem Longview Cable Television Company Inc Wehco Video Inc

Michelle Gamboa City of Longview

Jim Gaton CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System

Kristan Ishihara Ishihara & Parker Law Fim PLLC

Lori Ivey State Farm Insurance - Lori Ivey

Steve Mason LeTourneau University

Nishil Patel Heritage Wine & Spirits

Dana Rutland STEMCO

Casey Beddingfield RLM General Contractors REMEMBER

Strengthening Communities through Strategic Partnership and Alliances: A Chamber of Commerce Perspective

As a Chamber of Commerce dedicated to creating vibrant and thriving communities, we firmly believe in the power of strategic partnerships and alliances. By forging collaborative connections with like-minded organizations, we can extend our impact and work towards ensuring our community becomes an exceptional place to live, work, and play. This article delves into the pivotal role of strategic partnerships and alliances from the Longview Chamber’s lens, shedding light on the numerous benefits of creating a shared vision.

Enhancing the Quality of Life

Strategic partnerships and alliances are instrumental in enhancing the overall quality of life for residents and businesses in our community. As a champion for positive change, the chamber convenes various stakeholders, including local government, non-profits, and businesses, we can pool resources and expertise to address pressing issues. From supporting community development initiatives to promoting cultural enrichment and environmental sustainability, these partnerships enable us to create a more inclusive and enjoyable environment for all.

KELLY HALL CCE, IOM, MSL President/CEO

Promoting Business Growth and Development

As a catalytic leader for economic prosperity, the Chamber serves as a conduit for industry specific associations, trade organizations, and government entities to collaborate. By championing an environment of cooperation, we facilitate the exchange of ideas, resources, and best practices, empowering our businesses to thrive in a competitive market. Through strategic partnerships and alliances, we drive forward-thinking initiatives that foster business growth and development.

Building a Stronger Sense of Community

In our pursuit of creating a great place to live, work, and play, the Chamber serves as a convener to build a stronger sense of community that goes beyond just hosting events. We bring together community -based organizations to develop unique spaces like an Arboretum, expansive green spaces, and interconnected trails. Through these strategic partnerships and alliances, establish gathering spots that foster social interaction, promote well-being, and celebrate the natural beauty of our community. As a champion for unity, we cultivate a deep sense of belong among residents and visitors, nurturing a community where everyone feels connected and proud to call home.

Driving Sustainable Development

As a catalytic leader for our community’s future, the Chamber prioritizes sustainable development that goes beyond environmental considerations. We collaborate with local planners, historical preservation groups, and urban developers, to champion redevelopment initiatives that protect our history and create livable spaces. Through strategic partnerships and alliances, we promote projects that allow neighborhoods to connect and thrive, further enriching our community’s fabric.

Moving Communities Forward

At the core of driving sustainable progress in our community lies the essence of effective leadership development, and the Chamber is at the forefront. We champion the development of effective leaders who inspire change and foster innovation, guiding our community through challenges and embracing opportunities for growth. As a convener for leadership initiatives, we nurture a new generation of leaders, we ensure continuity and sustainability in our collective efforts. These leaders not only drive organizational success but also extend their influence to spearhead community initiatives and advocate for positive change.

Our Chamber of Commerce’s commitment lies the belief that strategic partnerships and alliances are integral to creating a great place to live, work and play. By championing, convening, and serving as a catalytic leader, we collaborate with diverse organizations and stakeholders to enhance the quality of life, foster economic prosperity, and advocate for positive change in our community. Together, we build a stronger, more interconnected community that thrives through sustainable development and celebrates its unique spirit. As we continue to forge strategic partnerships, we remain steadfast in our dedication to shaping a bright future for our communityone that inspire growth, progress, and shared success.

By championing an environment of cooperation, we facilitate the exchange of ideas, resources, and best practices...

We champion the development of effective leaders who inspire change and foster innovation...

TALENT ATTRACTION & RETENTION

talent pool and a wider range of skills when hiring. For individuals, it can mean increased visibility in the job market.

TRAINING Opportunity!

As you know, talent and retention continue to be a problem for companies. If you are like most, we understand that you pull out all the stops to keep employees around. That is why we believe your employees under 40 will find value in our 40 Under 40 Executive Series.

3. Mentorship and Role Models: Young professionals often benefit from having mentors and role models to guide them in their careers. During the 40 Under 40 workshops, table groups are assigned a leader to facilitate discussion and encourage the young professionals.

4. Community and Belonging: Young professionals groups foster a sense of community and belonging, which is especially important for individuals new to a city or industry. Feeling connected to a group can increase job satisfaction and overall well-being. For businesses, this sense of belonging can translate to higher employee morale and a lower likelihood of turnover.

5. Personal Growth: Beyond professional development, 40 Under 40 encourages personal growth and self-improvement. This can lead to more well-rounded individuals who are better equipped to handle challenges and adapt to changing circumstances. Employers value employees who display such qualities, which can improve talent attraction and retention.

Professional development is a long game. The goal is to provide quality personal and professional development, mentoring, and best practice sharing on how to succeed. Younger employees from entry-level to management need to develop a mindset of continuous learning throughout their careers and be an example to their peers.

For both employers and employees, there are several positives for an individual to attending a 40 Under 40 workshop.

1. Professional Development: 40 Under 40 offers its workshops that provide opportunities for skill development, learning, and growth. Young professionals can gain insights into industry trends, best practices, and new technologies, which can enhance their expertise and value as employees. This, in turn, can make them more attractive to potential employers and encourage them to stay with their current employer for the sake of continued development.

2. Networking: This program provides a platform to connect with likeminded individuals outside of your organization. Networking can lead to valuable connections, visibility for you and your company, partnerships, and collaborations. For businesses, this can mean access to a larger

6. Employee Engagement: Businesses that support their employees’ participation in young professionals’ groups demonstrate a commitment to their growth and well-being. This level of support can result in higher levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, and loyalty, which in turn positively affect retention rates.

Plans for the September 18th 40 Under 40 program with John Grubbs are in place! The program will begin at 10:00am and conclude at 2pm. Participants will walk away with a greater understanding as to how to make a greater impact in their organization. He will discuss how to prepare to capitalize and leverage opportunities to make a significant difference.

Workers, students, business leaders, policymakers - everyone is impacted by talent and retention challenges. Businesses and organizations in our community need to be equipped with the skilled workforce required to maintain our competitiveness. We need to guarantee that learners and workers get the education and training they need for long-lasting careers. We need to understand how emerging technologies will influence talent pipelines and training approaches.

There are many challenges that surround the workforce and talent in the area. It’s a topic that even reaches the elementary level and our children’s reading scores. Why? Children who are not reading at grade level by 3rd grade are more likely to struggle academically. Struggling academically may mean that they will not pursue credentialing or higher education, which then puts them at an economic disadvantage.

We believe in creating an ecosystem that allows businesses to thrive!  Companies’ #1 priority is to ensure they have a skilled workforce, and we know there is a direct correlation between an employee’s ability to read and the success of that employee. Our businesses are already struggling to recruit a strong workforce. This problem will only get worse if our future

employees aren’t able to read.

The Chamber’s purpose with the LongviewREADS! campaign is to increase awareness of the need to improve students’ reading skills and help our employers find out how they can take action to help students become strong readers. We know that once our business community is made aware of the need to cultivate a strong workforce by producing strong readers, employers will want to jump right in! The specific call to action for the LongviewREADS! campaign will be for area employers to encourage their employees to participate in specific opportunities provided to help students achieve their reading goals.

This is why our Education/Workforce initiative is a part of our strategic plan. We hope that you will join us for our State of the Workforce luncheon on Wednesday, September 20th to learn more about how we are seeking to address these issues for our community. The luncheon will take place at Pinecrest Country Club at 11:30 am.

Have You

How to

SCHEDULED YOUR RIBBON CUTTING?

• New members, Anniversary, Re-Opening, New Product Line Launch, Ground-Breaking.

• Click HERE to access the Ribbon Cutting Request Form.

� Scheduled your ribbon cutting?

ACTIVATED YOUR ONLINE MEMBERSHIP HUB?

• This is your home for all things Chamber-related. Post jobs and news, register for events, and more.

• More information below on how to maximize member hub use.

ADDED SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES TO YOUR CHAMBER PROFILE?

• We would love to connect with you on socials!

• Also make sure to follow Longview Chamber on all social platforms to stay up to date on news, events, and see photos from events.

� Activated your online membership hub?

� Added social media pages to your Chamber profile?

UTILIZED THE ONLINE CALENDAR TO STAY INFORMED ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS?

• Click HERE to access the calendar.

• From this calendar are links to register for events.

� Utilized the online calendar to stay informed about upcoming events?

ATTENDED CHAMBER 101?

• This is a one-time free luncheon to learn about your chamber and ask questions

• Click HERE to register for the next one.

FAMILIARIZED YOURSELF WITH THE CHAMBER H.E.A.R.T. STRATEGIC PLAN AND IT’S INITIATIVES?

• Click HERE to read.

LEVERAGED MAXIMIZE

Did you know that as a Longview Chamber of Commerce member, you have access to an exclusive portal for some unique benefits and for managing your membership?

First, if you have not already done so, I want to encourage you to create your member login:

1. Go to www.longviewchamber.com and click, “Member Login” at the top of the screen.

2. On the next page, click where it says, “Don’t have an account? Create one.

3. Enter your first and last name and your company email address and submit. You should receive an email with instructions from there. This will be your personal login for the company profile.

This will get you into the “Info Hub.” The Info Hub is a great way for you to network, view member-only events, share your contact information with other members for networking, access vital resources, or use our site to advertise news, events, deals and recruit new employees!

� Attended Chamber 101?

� Familiarized yourself with the Chamber H.E.A.R.T. Strategic plan and it’s initiatives?

Use of the Member Hub

Start by making sure your contact profile is complete and up-to-date, so others can successfully connect with you. Then explore the site and have fun taking advantage of special members-only access. There is a video tour that will show you how to get most of the Hub for things such as:

� Searching the directory listing - your contact information and our other members are available in the “members only” hub.

� Personalizing your member listing page - included in the directory is your own information page on the website which can include a description area, location, logo, photos and contact details based on your membership level.

� Using the Hub to manage your membership and payments.

� Job Center - create a posting for any job openings you have available - gain visibility and help recruit new employees.

� News - Share exciting and important information with our community. Enter your news item to be added to our site. Content is always changing; please help us ensure that yours is always updated so that we and others in the community can reach you.

Introducing The 2024 Leadership Longview Class

Leadership Longview launched in 1981 to strengthen and transform the community of Longview through a program of leadership development, community study, and involvement. The participants who have gone through the program leaves their imprint not only on Longview but communities graduates have moved on to.

Leadership Longview is a 40+ year program of the Longview Chamber of Commerce, provides multiple avenues for leadership development. Each class day begins with world-class leadership development programming. Team building and project management, as well as learning about the strengths of other personalities comes to light through project management and execution. Then, for those who wish to take their development further, there are opportunities post-class participation in the program. It’s a unique combination that provides the ability for leadership maturity. We are excited to introduce the class of 2024!

H JORGE ACUNA Texas Bank and Trust

Jorge is originally from Chicago but has lived in Longview for about fifteen years. He graduated from Longview High School and LeTourneau University. Currently he is a AVP at Texas Bank and Trust and is the owner/president of a remodeling/ construction business. He is on the board of Greater Longview United Way and serves on the special events and finance committees. He has a small family: mother, 3 sisters, a niece, and a dog. He spends most of his time working, hanging out with friends, or at the gym.

H SIDNEY ALLEN

Retired Scrap Metal and Heavy Equipment

Long time residence and desire to help the community grow. “If you do not grow you die.”

H TJ ANGUS Moab Energy LLC

TJ Angus is an owner of Moab Energy, a local oil and gas supply company. He is a team-oriented sales professional with many connections in the energy sector. TJ is bilingual in Spanish, having learned the language by living in South America and serving the Colombian people as a missionary. He enjoys running and has competed in several half marathons, a marathon, and a couple of ultra-marathons. He has volunteered on the East Texas Down Syndrome Group board, The Oilfield Helping Hands board, The East Texas Chili Cook board, and as co-director for the Longview Half Marathon and 3.21 Mile Race. TJ has served in leadership positions as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is currently the Cubmaster for BSA Pack 621. TJ is a dedicated husband, father, friend, and team member. He has been married for over 20 years to his wife, Tiffany, and has four children ages 3 to 16. His faith and family are the most important things in his life. TJ grew up and graduated from Hallsville High School. He has lived in the Longview area for most of his life and loves East Teas. TJ also owns and loves a shelter dog.

H COLE BRASIL Starfish Ad Age

Cole Brasil was born and raised here in Longview. He graduated from Spring Hill High School and went on to get an associate of applied science from the advertising and graphic design program at Kilgore College. He started working for Starfish Ad Age in 2021 as a graphic designer and quickly worked his way up to become the Strategy Director, playing a vital role in the digital marketing for many local and national businesses.

H JOSEPH BUMGARNER Eastman Chemical Co

Joseph Bumgarner is 46 years old and has been married to his wife Amy for 20 years. They have an 11-year-old daughter named Chloe. Bumgarner served 5 years active duty with the Marine Corps, worked various R&D jobs, and currently the Special Projects and Site Contracts manager for Eastman’s Longview and Texas City sites.

H CARLOS COTA Mr. Cooper Mortgage

Carlos Cota is a customer experience Manager at Mr. Cooper Mortgage in Longview, TX.  His area of focus is supporting and empowering both his internal and external customers as a guide to exceed their personal and professional goals by creating an environment of active engagement and participation.  Carlos brings experience in the manufacturing, multi-level marketing, healthcare, and financial industries.  He enjoys resolving issues and uses that experience to make improvements in current processes with the customers’ experience in mind.

A leader takes people where they want to go.

“

Introducing The 2024 Leadership Longview Class

H DESTINY DAVIDSON Eastman Credit Union

Destiny is the Assistant Branch Manager for the North Longview Branch of Eastman Credit Union. She has been married to Andy Davidson for 9 years and have 5 children and two dogs. She spends most of her time at the baseball field watching her son play. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, trying new foods, and spending time with family.

H CEDRIC DAVIS Eastman Chemical Company

Cedric Davis was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. He attended college at Louisiana Tech University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. He moved to Longview, Texas in 2014 to work as a chemical engineer with the Eastman Chemical Company. Cedric is married to Nwadi Adebamiji and they have a 14 month old daughter, Nwamaka Adebamiji-Davis.

H KERRY HIGGINBOTHAM Longview Police Department

Kerry is a born and raised Longview native. After graduating from high school in Hallsville, Kerry spent 5 years in the United States Marine Corps with a number of deployments all over the world. Kerry has worked for the Longview Police Department for the last 14 years and currently serves as a Lieutenant. Since 2009, Kerry has served in a number of roles at Longview Police Department including as a Field Training Officer, SWAT Team Leader, and Special Investigations and Apprehension Unit Supervisor. Kerry holds a Master Peace Officer License, an Associates in Criminal Justice, and is working to complete his Bachelor’s Degree. Kerry met his wife, Whitney, in High School and they have been married for 17 years. They have two boys, Kade and Karson. Kerry and his family enjoy taking road trips all over the country visiting National Parks, National Forests and Historical Sites.

H CLENT HOLMES Thrive Longview

Clent Holmes was born and raised in a traditional home setting in Terrell, Texas. However, after years of living the traditional good life, he realized he had been living in the comfort zone instead of living a life fueled by conviction and passion; that passion being rooted in teen ministry and community development. Today, as the executive director of Thrive Longview & 1919 Longview Remembrance Project, he is realizing his purpose. As a mentor, advocate, collaborator, speaker, and fitness trainer, Clent fearlessly inspires teens to live life abundantly. An abundance that is centered in Christ. Clent holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Lamar University, and an MBA from the University of Texas-Tyler. He currently resides in Longview with his beautiful wife, gospel-recording artist Kay Holmes, and their 4 girls Emma, Kameron, Kendal, and Kai.

H GRACE JACKSON VizCre9ve Media

Grace Jackson co-owns and operates a local business, VizCre8ve Media, with her husband, Tye. Wearing many hats, she is Business Administrator, photographer, runs camera for video production, communicates with and prepares clients for shoots, as well as helps to set-up and tear-down. She does invoicing, project management, organizing, or whatever task is necessary and at hand. Grace is a mother to 3 grown children and “Maugee” to 3 grands. She enjoys spending time with her family, reading, loves the adventure of visiting new places, experiencing new cultures, foods, and things that make an area unique. She’s an extroverted introvert, a lover of Jesus, and a lover of people.

H JOE LANE Greater Longview Young Life

Joe Lane serves as the Area Director for Greater Longview Young Life. Joe has over 10 years of experience working with teenagers and pointing them to a life that is bigger than themselves. Joe previously served as a Youth Pastor at First Baptist church in Navasota, TX. and was also an Area Director for Young Life in Dallas, TX. Joe has been married to his bride Heather for 8 years and has three amazing kids - Judah (6), Abigail (4), Sandra (2). When Joe isn’t doing ministry and spending time with his family, you can find him running, playing disc golf, or coaching the Rangers T-ball team in Longview.

Leadership Longview’s Mission:

To strengthen and transform the community of Longview through a program of leadership development, community study, and involvement.

You can learn things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.

Introducing The 2024 Leadership Longview Class

H SHERYL LUCKY

Johnson Realty

Sheryl Lucky is a native of Shreveport, Louisiana residing in Longview, Texas. As a child, Sheryl traveled across state lines, to Longview, accompanying her parents as they pursued ministry work. As an adult, Sheryl returned to East Texas to pursue social service while completing her graduate studies. Sheryl holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications from Louisiana State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler. She is devoted to her husband, LaBrandon Lucky, and their daughter, Ruby Lucky. Sheryl is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated and holds true to the organization’s values of sisterhood and service. With an entrepreneurial mindset, Sheryl seeks to provide opportunities for others to actualize potential through financial literacy, coaching, and businesses that highlight specialty skillsets. Ingenuity, nostalgia, and class are characteristics of her composition, adding value to people and organizations by borrowing wisdom from the past, pursuing excellence in all endeavors, and fearlessly blazing new trails.

H JUDSON MAURER

Mr. Cooper

Judson is a son, a brother, a husband, a father and soon to be father-in-law. He was born in Dallas due to Longview not having the capacity at the time to deliver a premature baby so small. He graduated from Hallsville High School, Class of 2000. He enjoys gaming, bowling, and tireless hot hours in their family garden.

H AARON MAY Texas Bank and Trust

Aaron May serves as the administrative officer and assistant advertising manager for Texas Bank and Trust. His passion for financial literacy inspired him to shift his career into banking so he could help people take control of their financial worlds. Mr. May currently maintains content and design for Texas Bank and Trust’s internal intranet platform and leads the bank’s internal production studio, TBT Studios. Mr. May previously worked as a marketing specialist for KSA Engineers in Longview, Texas, and as a reporter and photographer for the Kilgore News Herald and the Gladewater Mirror. Mr. May holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and communications from The University of Texas at Tyler. Mr. May and his wife, Whitney, have been married for 10 years and have one daughter, Waverly.

H SARA MCKINLEY Longview World of Wonders

Sara McKinley is a wife, mom, and Executive Director for Longview World of Wonders. She grew up in Longview and briefly moved away to attend college at Texas A&M University. She moved back to Longview in 2007 with her husband, Nathan, to raise her boys Caleb (17) and Elijah (9). She loves personal development and is a Junior League of Longview Sustainer. She enjoys being part of the downtown community and participating in all the events that the cultural arts district has to offer. When she is not at LongviewWOW, you can find Sarah and her family at the ballfields watching the boys play or on a boat in the middle of Lake Cherokee.

H COURTNEY MEADOWS Conterra Networks

Courtney Meadows is a Customer Account Manager for Conterra Networks. She currently attends LSU Shreveport with the hopes to receive her Bachelors in Finance and eventually her Master’s in Business. She is also an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce in Marshall and involved with the chamber in Hallsville. Courtney is committed to Longview and all surrounding areas and donates her time for the betterment of everyone.

H ELAINE NEAGLE Community Healthcore

Elaine Neagle currently works at Community Healthcore as Substance Use Disorder Program Manager/Counselor. Growing up her childhood was normal nothing exciting. Due to going through a divorce she started taking classes in college. Her target was to get into nursing school. She realized that she could not mess with anyone’s body but loved messing with people’s minds and changed to psychology. Her life then took a major curve and let her down a dark and narrow path. Because she is a survivor, she started a program to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. She said that if you had told her that she would have gone down the path that she did she would say that you were crazy. But her life is now where she wants it and would not have it any other way. Between family and work her life is complete.

“

Introducing The 2024 Leadership Longview Class

H CANDY PALMER TBTG Inc DBA Merry Maids

Candy Palmer owns Merry Maids. Her family came to Longview in 1974. Once they were here a while, her dad purchased a bike shop and her mom was a nurse. Her family was instrumental in bringing soccer to town. Candy and her family served as a soccer family together for over 20 years. She graduated from Pine Tree High School, was an athlete and played any sport she could. She attended TCU where she walked on the basketball team. She became a PTA in 1991 and lived in Fort Worth. Her husband and her got married in 1994. They lived in Keller until it outgrew them, then they moved to Santo. They fell in love with country life. Her job kept putting her in a management role which took her out of patient care. Patient care is why she went into physical therapy. They moved back to East Texas to be close to family where she made a career change from PT to the owner of Merry Maids in 2006. In 2010 she also purchased the Tyler Merry Maids. Shortly after, they adopted a sibling group of 4 kids. They became instant parents after being married for 17 years. They now have two grandson’s and are known as Lolli and Pops. She loves Merry Maids because it makes a difference every day, people are time starved and they can give them back time to do other things.

H KATHRYN PEDROZA Longview Chamber of Commerce

Kathryn Pedroza works as the communications coordinator at the Longview Chamber of Commerce. She recently graduated from East Texas Baptist University with her master’s in Strategic communication after getting her undergraduate degree there. Originally Kathryn is from Mansfield, TX, and joined the Longview community not long ago. She loves Jesus, reading, Taylor Swift, and photography.

H VINCENT PURVIS STEMCO

Vincent Purvis is a long time East Texan having graduated from Marshall High school in 2008 and then attended LeTourneau University where he graduated from the School of Business with a degree in Marketing in 2012. While attending LETU, Vincent was a founding member of the LETU Rugby Club. After LETU, Vincent accepted a job at STEMCO in Longview where he has held diverse roles within the commercial organization and currently serves as the Sales, Inventory, and Operations Supervisor within the supply chain and operations organization. In 2016, Vincent graduated with his Masters in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Tyler. Vincent is a founding owner of Silver Grizzly Espresso, a specialty coffee shop founded in 2016 with the vision to be the primary place that brings the Longview, Texas community together through providing remarkable hospitality. Vincent married his wife Lara in 2017, and they live in Longview with their two massive great pyrenees dogs, Samson & Delilah. Vincent and Lara are active members at New Covenant Church where you can find Vincent serving on the Worship Team playing electric guitar.

H RYAN REYNOLDS Austin Bank

Ryan Reynolds is from Van TX. He graduated from Texas A&M University class of 2022 with a Bachelors in Management. He accepted a position as a credit analyst with Austin bank here in Longview out of college. He was in position for about a year but recently accepted a lending position here with Austin Bank where he is currently works.

H CARLOS RIMES City of Longview Public Works

Carlos J Rimes is a 33-year-old father of 4 and devoted husband. He is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Everest University where he received his degree in Criminal Justice. He has worked for the City of Longview for 13 years and currently serves the role as Streets Supervisor. Recently he was 1 out of 16 participants selected for Management Training provided by the City Manager. Carlos is also the co-owner of Green Bail Bonds in Marshall and Owner of Green Team Entertainment where he serves as a Professional DJ on weekends. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family and helping out his wife who is the owner of two local daycares in East TX. Carlos is the recipient of the 2023 Man of The Year Award given by the City of Marshall for his volunteer work in the community and a recipient of the Making a Difference Award provided by The Miracle Creation Foundation. A non-profit organization that helps low-income families. He is also a previous member of the Aspire Mentoring Program where he served as a mentor for young men. Carlos has a huge heart for the youth and believes in giving every child a chance in life. His goal in life is to promote himself as high as he can go within the Public Works Division as well as to pursue his childhood dream of obtaining his peace officer license and becoming a police officer. Carlos is one of Longview finest young leaders and he will be a great asset in years to come as a member of Leadership Longview.

H FRANCISCO ROJAS Longview ISD

Francisco was born in Miami, FL but lived most of his life in Ecuador where he first started getting involved in community work. At the age of 22 he founded a nonprofit called “Gracefull Project” that served children, youth, and families living in extreme poverty. He developed a passion towards preaching and leading projects that could help others including a virtual church, which he currently pastors with his wife, an online community resource platform which was launched 5 months ago and starting the only Awardwinning school district Spanish radio show in the country that educates the Spanish-speaking population in Longview in community resources and parenting skills. He studied Marketing at UDLA (Ecuador) and he also received a Bachelor’s in Business Administration & a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Columbia Southern University. He loves God, his wife, Longview, preaching/coaching/teaching others, and soccer.

Introducing The 2024 Leadership Longview Class

H ANNA SCOTT Boxwood Group

Anna Scott is the business development and project manager at Boxwood Group DBA New Vintages Custom Homes, a local fullservice design-build construction company. She is a Longview native that graduated from Spring Hill ISD. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Global Arts, Planning, Design, and Construction in the College of Architecture at Texas A&M University and graduated in 2019. She selected to return to Longview after graduating and began her career as a young professional at the City of Longview in Development Services. She is a Junior League of Longview member and loves helping people and serving the community. In her free time, Anna enjoys spending time with family, traveling, attending Aggie games, and being a dog mom to her two goldendoodles.

H VIVIAN SHELBY Trinity Episcopal Church

Rev. Vivian Shelby is the Associate Rector (pastor) at Trinity Episcopal Church in Longview. Before moving to Longview in February of 2023, she was the Rector at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Dickinson, TX and also did ministry in The Woodlands, TX at Trinity Church. Prior to becoming a priest, Vivian was a stage manager for musical theater as well as executive producer for the Presidential Scholars in the Arts at Kennedy Center in DC. She is certified to teach the Within Our Reach marriage program, Dr. Brene’ Brown’s Daring Greatly and Dare to Lead programs, Education for Ministry bible study program, among others. Vivian is married to Jim, an engineer for NASA, and has two adult children who are a great joy in her life. They love living in Longview and look forward to meeting new friends.

H NATE STARK Christus Good Shepard

Nate Stark is the System Director of Patient Experience for Christus Good Shepard. He accepted the position almost a year ago after managing East Texas Cook Children’s hospital and opening a specialty clinic in Tyler which provided pediatric specialists to an area devoid of any. Lastly, he is the father of two amazing children and coach all of their activities due to his apparent disgust of free time.

• To provide community education.

H TOYIA URBANIAK Longview Rehabilitation Hospital

Toyia Urbaniak is the CEO of Longview Rehabilitation Hospital. She has a Master’s of Communication Disorders with a background in medical Speech Language Pathology. Toyia has been in rehabilitation leadership for 27 years and owned a small therapy staffing agency in Longview from 2004 to 2014. As CEO of LRH, the hospital census has consistently remained at the highest it’s been since opening. Inpatient quality scores have significantly improved placing the hospital in the 90th percentile in the nation using the UDS Program Evaluation Model. She believes in servant leadership and facilitating greatness in people. Success comes from a strong and engaged team. Toyia is an active member of Beckville Methodist Church where she teaches an adult Sunday School class, She is a church lay leader and lay speaker. Toyia and her husband Larry have been married 36 years. She has 2 grown children, 2 poodle girls and 4 grandchildren.

H JONATHAN WEBB Eastman Credit Union

Jonathan Webb is a Longview native who, like many, moved to the big city chasing a career but couldn’t stay away for long. He is happily married to his wife of 12 years (Sarah) and he is the proud father of two kids, ages 6 and 8. His family worships at Woodland Hills where they actively volunteer in the kids ministry. Webb has been in the banking industry for the past 15+ years and currently works for Eastman Credit Union where he serves as the Commercial Lender for the Texas market.

H TIM WHEDBEE Mobberly Baptist Church

Originally from Fort Smith, AR, Tim has been a Texan for the past 22 years. He is married to Cara and he has three kids (Zowie, Kinsley & Malachi). Cara works at Gilmer ISD as a therapist and Tim has the joy of serving as the worship pastor at Mobberly Baptist Church. He is a graduate from Ouachita Baptist University and Southwester Baptist Theological Seminary. In everything, he strives to put his relationship with Jesus Christ first and he looks forward to serving Him through the local church for many years to come. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, fishing, golf, and spending time with family and friends.

Program Objectives:

• To increase awareness of problems, opportunities and issues affecting the Longview community.

• To identify potential leaders in Longview and prepare them for positions of public and private decision-making.

• To maintain and strengthen communication by creating opportunities to meet and exchange ideas with each other and community leaders.

• Through participation in Leadership Longview, graduates become part of a new community resource capable of directing important activities in the community.

Introducing The 2024 Leadership Longview Class

H DR. TIM SCEGGEL LeTourneu University

Dr. Tim Sceggel was named the Vice President for Athletics at LeTourneau University in May 2022. He comes from Covenant College in Georgia, where he served for the last 15 years. While at Covenant, he oversaw the most successful tenure in the history of the athletic department. The priorities in the athletic department under his leadership have focused on discipleship, recruiting, and the pursuit of excellence. The mission statement for the department was implemented to reflect this in 2018. Further, Covenant’s sportsmanship has continued to be recognized by the USA South, as the athletic department has been the institutional winner of the sportsmanship trophy six consecutive times. Sceggel also developed and launched the Scots Athletic Club in 2017, which is the first structured fundraising effort of the athletic department in the college’s history. Due to the unprecedented success of the athletic department, Sceggel has won a number of national awards. He was previously the Associate AD at Covenant where he was responsible for a host of various responsibilities within the department including compliance. Through his compliance duties, he successfully directed the completion of the college’s transition from the NAIA to full membership in NCAA Division III in 2013. Prior to Covenant, Sceggel served in the athletic departments at Wheaton College (Ill.) and the University of Louisville. In addition to his role in athletics, Sceggel is the Chair for Health, Wellness, and Coaching department. He was part of the two-person team that developed and launched the Sport Management major in 2015. He has also taught graduate school at a number of other CCCU institutions, including Messiah University, Abilene Christian University, and Howard Payne University. In addition to his bachelor’s degree in sociology from Covenant, he holds a master’s degree in sport administration from the University of Louisville. Sceggel also serves on the Sport Administration Advisory Board at Louisville. Additionally, Sceggel earned a doctorate from the University of Alabama in Higher Education Administration, where his research focused on the faith development of student-athletes in the context of Christian college athletics.

Leadership Longview is a nine-month program of leadership development open to both members and non-members of the Longview Chamber of Commerce.

Class members are chosen through an application process that begins in May. To learn more, contact Dave Jochum at 903-237-4023 or djochum@longviewtx.com

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NEW MEMBERS

CLICK ON business names to link to Chamber directory information or link directly to their business website.

Club 4 Fitness (430) 267-1700

1402 McCann Road Longview, TX 75601 club4fitness.com/location/longview

David S. Houston - Financial Coach (903) 746-2952

PO Box 2364 Longview, TX 75606

ramseycoach.com/davidshoustonfinancialcoach

Davill Kitchens (903) 736-0402

1421 W Loop 281 Longview, TX 75604

facebook.com/DavillKitchens

ETX Tree Clearing & Dirt Work (903) 917-2678

226 Progress Blvd Longview, TX 75604 etxtreeclearingdirtwork.com/

Exterior Precision Cleaning

(903) 806-6235

223 Longleaf Longview, TX 75602 pressurewashetx.business.site/

MicroMetl Corporation

(903) 248-4811

201 Kodak Blvd Longview, TX 75602 micrometl.com

New Vintages Custom Homes

(903) 576-1769

1405 Lago Trail Longview, TX 75604

facebook.com/NewVintagesCustomHomes/

Premier High School Longview

(903) 962-3933

1905 W. Loop 281 Ste 21 Longview, TX 75604 premierhighschools.com

Stone Works

(903) 663-3344

4523 Judson Rd Longview, TX 75605

stoneworkslongview.com

Trinity Episcopal Church (903) 753-3366

906 Padon

Longview, TX 75601 trinityparish.org

2023 MILESTONE CHAMBER MEMBER

5 Years

Coffee & T’s, LLC

State Farm Insurance Agency - Dalton Lipsey

East Texas Council on Alcoholism & Drug Abuse

Sylvan Learning Center

Louis Morgan Drug #4

East Texas Alzheimer’s Alliance

Heritage of Longview Healthcare and Rehab

C3 Industrial Technologies, LLC

10 Years

House of Hope

Brentwood Hospital

Knights of Pythias #26

Energy Weldfab

PDQ America, LLC

Texana Bank - Marshall Ave

Community Perfusion Services, LLC

Longview Chapter of National AMBUCS Inc.

20 Years

Holiday Inn Longview

25 Years

Ron Stringer & Associates PC

Homewood Suites Hotel by Hilton

First Presbyterian Church

Women’s Health Boutique Longview

Henry & Peters, P.C.

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