Chamber Focus | January 2024

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

FOCUS ON

BUSINESS Salute to Business 2024: Navigating the Intersection of Health, Business & Community Excellence Temple Chamber of Commerce Staff

JANUARY 2024 BUSINESS AFTER HOURS Wednesday, January 10, 2024 5:00 - 7:00 pm Sponsored by: Alliance Bank Central Texas 408 Hilliard Road Temple, TX 76502

The Temple Chamber of Commerce proudly presents Salute to Business 2024, our 117th Annual Dinner Meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at the Mayborn Convention Center in Temple, TX. Join us for an evening of networking, insight, and celebration.

SALUTE TO BUSINESS 2024

Tuesday, January 30, 2024 5:30 pm - Taste of Temple Reception 6:30 pm - Dinner & Keynote Presentation Mayborn Convention Center 3303 N. Third Street Temple, TX 76501 Register online www.templechamber.com

TempleChamber.com

The festivities kick off at 5:30 p.m. with a social hour featuring a Taste of Temple Reception, showcasing the culinary talents of local restaurants. Following this, dinner and a keynote presentation.

We are honored to welcome Patricia J. Sulak, M.D., cofounder of Living WELL Aware, a renowned wellness educational program. Dr. Sulak is a practicing physician, medical school professor, accomplished women’s health researcher, and national speaker. Her keynote presentation, titled "ILLNESS is Expensive. What Does It COST To Be HEALTHY?", delves into the critical intersection of health and its impact on individuals and organizations.

In a captivating and entertaining manner, Dr. Sulak will explore the financial implications of illness, emphasizing the costs associated with health and wellness. The business community faces significant challenges related to absenteeism, healthcare expenses, and the overall impact on team dynamics. Dr. Sulak's insights promise to unravel

this complex web and provide a fresh perspective.

Wellness is a multi-billion-dollar industry, and Dr. Sulak will share her personal journey toward optimal well-being, addressing the effectiveness of investments in increasing our lifespan and healthspan. This life-changing presentation is not to be missed.

Beyond the enlightening keynote, the Salute to Business is a time to celebrate community excellence, partnerships, growth, and development in the greater Temple community. Join us in this gathering of business and community leaders.

To secure your spot at the event, register now at templechamber.com or call the Temple Chamber at (254) 7732105.

For businesses seeking to elevate their visibility, sponsorship opportunities are still available for Temple Chamber Members. Contact Bobbie Jo Young at (254) 773-2105 to position your brand in front of an engaged audience of Temple business and community leaders. Don't miss this chance to showcase your support for community excellence and growth.

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December Renewing Chamber Members 3 Texans Winery & Vineyard Beronio Wealth Planning Best Li'L Hairhouse In Temple Central National Bank Central Texas Council Of Governments Eagle Eye Consulting and Construction, LLC Fairway 365 Independent Mortgage Corp.

First Convenience Bank inside H-E-B Integ iZone Imaging

J.E. Dunn Construction Ludwick, Montgomery & Stapp, P.C. McLane Company, Inc. McLane Group Morada Senior Living Oncor Electric Delivery Staples, Inc. Two Lakes Homes Walmart Distribution Center #6083 Yellow Pine Investments

December New Chamber Members A&D Tests, Inc. Clanci Mitchell | (254) 773-2880 4011 S. General Bruce Drive Temple, TX 76502 www.adtests.net Alcohol & Drug Testing A+ Roofing and Construction Michael Alexander | (817) 243-8218 Temple, TX www.aplusroofingtx.com Roofing Contractors Dementia Enrichment Center Hailey Peek | (254) 448-0321 9251 W. FM 436, Unit 21 Belton, TX 76513 www.dementiaec.com Aging Services

Maximize Your Membership

Temple Chamber of Commerce Staff

Are you new to the Temple Chamber, or just looking for a refresher? Join us for our first networking events of the year!

Business After Hours is Wednesday, January 10, 2024, sponsored by Alliance Bank Central Texas.

All Chamber Member employees are encouraged to attend, whether you are working on expanding your network, generating new business leads, or interested in meeting other professionals from the greater Temple community.

Not sure if your organization is a member? Visit our Business Directory at www. templechamber.com to find out. *Registration is required for Business Link Lunch.

Frank Hernandez for Bell County Sheriff Frank Hernandez Temple, TX Ignite Learning Academy Taylor Beck | (254) 324-6902 4242 Hartrick Bluff Temple, TX 76502 www.ignitectx.com Childcare Centers

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

Local Team, Sound Decisions.

For over a century, we’ve remained dedicated to building central Texas businesses.

Best-Way Carpets 3206 AIRPORT ROAD (254) 770 - 0932 www.bestwaycarpets.com

• TREASURY MANAGEMENT • BUSINESS LOANS • COMMERCIAL INSURANCE • BUSINESS CHECKING & SAVINGS •SALES •SERVICE •INSTALLATION

LEARN MORE! extracobanks.com/business

Member FDIC.

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RIBBON

CUTTING 17 South Grand Opening 17 South A Fine Dining Experience An Italian Steakhouse committed to a fine dining experience and craft cocktail service. Savor world class cuisine, while sampling delicious fare that will have you wanting to try something new every time you visit. From our main dining hall to our upstairs lounge, that can be converted to private events, 17 South is a destination for guests to gather with their loved ones, celebrate milestones in their lives, or enjoy a relaxing drink with friends.

Eric Seidel

17 S. Main Street Temple, TX 76501

(254) 727-4132 www.17-south.com

Central Texas Housing Consortium and Omega Homes Dedication & Ribbon Cutting The Central Texas Housing Consortium is proud to partner with Omega Builders to fulfill its mission to provide quality affordable housing to residents of Central Texas with the dedication and ribbon cutting for newly constructed homes on N. Fifth Street in Temple, TX.

Barbara Bozon

700 W. Calhoun Temple, TX 76501

(254) 773-2009 www.cthc.org

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2024

January Marks the Celebration of National Mentoring Month

Temple Chamber of Commerce Staff

Launched in 2002 by MENTOR The National Mentoring Partnership (www. mentoring.org) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Mentoring Month is about driving systemic change to make mentoring an integral component of youth and workforce development efforts.

Becoming a mentor can lead to unlimited opportunities: mentees can find a source of support from someone invested in their success; mentorships create long-lasting relationships; mentors impart positive values and instill a commitment to learning and betterment. Having a good mentor while you are developing your professional skills is a priceless gift, and all it takes is a little of your time.

It is no secret that time is a valuable thing, and just a little bit of time spent giving advice or spreading your expertise to someone who needs it can make a huge impact. The beginning of a new year is a great time to get involved in a mentoring program either by volunteering your skills to a community organization or taking on a mentee within your own business.

Getting involved in mentoring within your business or organization has been proven to help increase business profitability and longevity. Employees are one of the business’ greatest assets. As a leader, making yourself available to mentor your team can be a worthwhile investment in your business. Here are a few of the benefits of employee mentorship: 1. Employee Loyalty and Retention: creating an employee-based mentoring program shows your employees that you are invested in their growth and success. A study from Kent State University shows that employees who have been mentored by organization leaders tend to stay at their companies longer.

2. Develop Stronger Leaders: spending time mentoring employees prepares them to be the future leaders of your company.

3. Create Organizational Balance: working one-on-one with your employees gives you time to realize their strengths. This can help you better delegate your day-to-day workload into their capable hands while also demonstrating trust.

Mentoring someone within your business or in the community can have a longlasting impact. A powerful tool that takes only a little of your time to strengthen our community.

Temple ISD Wildcat Mentors www.TISD.org/WildcatMentors

Give a little time, get a lot in return.

It only takes two hours a month to make a huge difference in the life of a child. Mentoring helps kids stay off drugs, out of gangs and in school. Mentors help kids think BIG so they can fulfill their dreams. The best part is, you’ll not only see what it does for them, you’ll feel what it does for YOU.

The 411 House

the411house.org/help/#mentor

The 411 House journey started with founder Kim White and her mentee who lived in East Temple at Wayman Manor apartments. That friendship led her family to visit the complex weekly and build relationships with kids and families in the community. They were there to learn and saw it as a precious gift to know and be known by that community.

We focus with our kids on building community, offering experiences and growing relationships with God and others.

Lake Belton High School Business Incubator Program www.bisd.net/Page/2111

The INCubatoredu program offers students an authentic entrepreneurship experience. In this program, students have the opportunity to create and fully develop their own products or service. Real entrepreneurs and business experts serve as volunteer coaches and mentors guiding student teams through the Lean Startup processes of developing hypotheses about a business concept, testing those hypotheses, adapting, and continually learning and improving. This cycle of experimentation is combined with foundational business such as marketing and finance.

Businesses that invest in mentorship programs for the community also provide an invaluable resource for future leaders. According to The National Mentoring Partnership, young adults who have been mentored showed increased motivation to participate in team sports and extracurriculars, held a leadership position in a club or at school, showed increased motivation to get a college degree, and volunteered in the community at higher rates.

The survey also identified that one in three young people are without a mentor. Businesses can fill this need by volunteering to join local community mentorship programs. Here are a few local mentorship programs through Temple Chamber Members that business leaders can connect with: 1) Temple ISD Wildcat Mentors 2) The 411 House 3) Lake Belton High School Business Incubator Program

Lake Belton High School Business Incubator Students Spring 2023

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Chamber Ambassador Spotlight: Lisle Meeker Bobbie Jo Young, Temple Chamber of Commerce

Lisle Meeker has faithfully served as an Ambassador of the Temple Chamber of Commerce for over 15 years. His welcoming manner is felt instantly, from the first moment in his presence. Lisle has a knack for making others feel comfortable at Chamber events and he is always among the first to volunteer.

Lisle is a 20-year Army veteran. He and his wife, Sandy, have been married for 24 years; they have six children, 22 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Lisle is an independent consultant for Hooked on Health, Wellness Begins at Home, helping clients discover active wellness. He also serves on the board of Feed my Sheep and is Logistics Director on the board of Operation Feeding Temple.

For over 14 years, Lisle has served as a member of the Temple Breakfast Lions Club. He has been a member of the Board of Directors - as Third, Second, and First Vice President, and has served as President for two terms. Every single year as a Lion, Lisle has received Perfect Attendance awards. He has also served as either Chairman or committee member on every service and/or fundraising project that his Club has been involved in.

During his tenure as Zone C-2 Chair, attendance at Zone meetings increased by an average of 20 attendees – for 3 consecutive years. Lisle was also the

2013-2014 and 2016-2017 Club Lion of the Year Award Recipient. He was District Governor for 2018-2019 and is currently the District Trustee for the Texas Lions Foundation. Lisle and his wife, Sandy (also a Lion), are members of the Texas Lions Camp Century Club.

As an Ambassador for the Temple Chamber, Lisle is always reliable and generous. He is knowledgeable and passionate when it comes to Temple and is a fierce advocate for supporting local business.

Lisle is also known for giving the “scissors tutorial” to our members before they cut the ribbon at business celebrations – making sure they know the scissors are very heavy and very sharp. As a friend, Lisle is one that can always be counted on, sharing his caring soul with all those around him.

As a businessman, Lisle’s keen insight and extensive connections make him a valuable resource to the local business community. As an Ambassador, he is a key element in representing what the Chamber is all about. The Temple Chamber staff and Board of Directors could not be more grateful to have Lisle on our team.

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Leadership Through Service Bobbie Jo Young, Temple Chamber of Commerce

What better way to wind down the Fall 2023 semester than to put some elbow grease into improving the quality of life for one local East Temple resident. For their Fall project, the Leadership Temple Class of 23-24 recently teamed up with the City of Temple’s Department of Housing and Community Development to assist in completing the first of four home improvement projects funded by the city’s HARP Grant Program.

The HARP (Homeowner Assistance & Reconstruction Program) Grant was put in place to reconstruct homes for low-income clients whose dwellings are beyond repair. The other three grant recipients’ homes are on track to be completed later this year.

Nancy Glover, Director of the City of Temple Housing and Development Department, invited the Leadership Temple class to help with the final touches for the first home in East Temple completed on December 6, 2023. The students arrived in jeans and boots, ready and excited to help in any way possible.

After a brief tour and description of the program by Nancy, the group got to work. While some stayed indoors to dust, hang pictures, and set up a Christ-

mas tree, others worked outside – weed eating, planting shrubs, cleaning windows, laying sod, and hanging Christmas lights. Yet another group made trips over to Temple Christian Outreach (St. Vincent de Paul) to load up furniture and bring it back to unload, furnishing the newly reconstructed home.

Other city employees also worked alongside the LT class, including Kirby Fiebig, Neighborhood Revitalization Manager, and Brittany Chopane, Grant Manager. The project took several hours, and when the group got back on the bus, they were a little tired, a little dirty…and a lot fulfilled.

Leadership Temple is a 9-month program designed to provide current and future leaders of our community with education and insight into the way Temple and Central Texas work. Students receive an in-depth guide into what goes on behind-the-scenes in our City, County, and State departments, as well as learning about industries such as healthcare, social services, education, public safety, and economic development. The 23-24 Class will complete another group service project in Spring 2024.

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Temple Chamber of Commerce Announces 2024 Board of Directors Temple Chamber of Commerce Staff

Kayla Landeros | 2024 Chair

West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry

Ken Reeves | First Vice-Chair

Performance Foodservice Group

The Temple Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2024 Board of Directors and Officers, including three new members.

Kayla Landeros of West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C. will serve as Chair of the Board, succeeding Robert Jones of Cadence Bank. Ken Reeves of Performance Foodservice Group has been named First Vice-Chair.

The 2024 Board of Directors will focus on critical issues for the Temple Chamber of Commerce membership and business community, including providing valuable resources for member businesses, keeping members informed, connected, and prosperous, advancing community excellence, and maintaining organizational sustainability.

Dave Hedge of the Temple Daily Telegram will serve as Treasurer. Other Officers for the 2024 Board of Directors are Shannon Gowan of Ronald McDonald House Charities, Vice-Chair of Organization Improvement; Mike Pilkington of Bell Contractors, Vice-Chair of Governmental Affairs; Kim Langston of 3 Texans Winery & Vineyard, Vice-Chair of Membership Services; and Dr. Christy Ponce of Temple College, Vice-Chair of Business and Community Development.

The three new Board of Directors, serving a three-year term that began on January 1, 2024, are Mike Dent of Wings Pizza ‘N Things, Dave Hedge of the Temple Daily Telegram, and Jacob Rodriguez of Dapper and Dashin’ Salon & Shop.

"Chamber Board Members share a commitment to fostering an environment where every business can thrive," stated Whitney Theriot, Interim President of the Temple Chamber. "We're excited about expanding on the strengths from the previous year, and the Board's collective experience is instrumental. Our focus remains on advocating for the community by preserving, protecting, and promoting a business-friendly environment."

Robert Jones | Past Chair Cadence Bank

The 2024 Temple Chamber Board of Directors: Robert H. Beamon | A New Day Fellowship Church Adrian Cannady (Ex-Officio) | Temple Economic Development Corporation Mike Dent | Wings Pizza ‘N Things Shannon Gowan* | Ronald McDonald House Charities Claire Hartman | First Community Title Dave Hedge* | Temple Daily Telegram Dell Ingram-Walker | McLane Children's Baylor Scott & White Medical Center Robert Jones* | Cadence Bank Kayla Landeros* | West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C. Kim Langston* | 3 Texans Winery & Vineyard H.B. Macey | Perry Office Plus Dr. Bobby Ott | Temple ISD Mike Pilkington* | Bell Contractors Dr. Christy Ponce* | Temple College Ken Reeves* | Performance Foodservice Group Jacob Rodriguez | Dapper & Dashin' Salon and Shop Casey Simpson | Oncor Electric Delivery Chris Smith | McLane Group Mark Woodford | Polar Texas Bottling *Indicates Executive Board Member