Greater Waco Business Summer 2021 - Advanced Manufacturing

SUMMER 2021

A GREATER WACO CHAMBER PUBLICATION

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2021 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR

Jennifer Manning Pattillo Brown & Hill, LLP

A MESSAGE FROM

MATT MEADORS This edition of Greater Waco Business magazine explores advanced manufacturing in our regional economy. As I have indicated in previous letters, and we have explored in past editions of this magazine, Wacoans are builders. Our people make things; oftentimes, very sophisticated products that make their way into economies and communities throughout the world.

Advanced manufacturing constitutes 14% of our regional economy, which is 1.5 times the state and national averages. This is not by accident. Greater Waco’s outstanding infrastructure and physical location along Interstate 35 – the community is nestled halfway between Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin along one of the nation’s most active international trade routes – serve to powerfully attract interest from advanced manufacturers. Recent economic development wins, including the attraction of Envases Group, Uzin Utz, Aspen Trailers, and ZINKPOWER USA solidly underscore Greater Waco’s strong competitive position. These companies join the many outstanding, world-class advanced manufacturers we have in our community, some of which are outlined in this publication on page 22.

While our infrastructure and physical location are enviable, our people are simply outstanding. It is no surprise that Sonoco-Waco and Fallas Automation, two advanced manufacturers that are highlighted on the following pages, talk about the importance and longevity of their people. Greater Waco is laden with talented, dedicated workers who add value to their employers year after year. Importantly, these companies are also able to partner with excellent education institutions to continually upskill their workers.

Additionally, our labor force continues to grow. In February of 2020, just prior to the pandemic shutting down the global economy, our labor force stood at 127,656. In March of 2021, our labor force had grown to 130,063. The Waco MSA was the 15th MSA in the nation, and the first in Texas, to reach its pre-Covid employment level. This sends a powerful message to advanced manufacturers and other companies considering the Greater Waco marketplace. The message? Greater Waco is a dynamic, affinity community. A place where people add great value to their employers. A place where people want to be.

Thank you for your continued support of your Chamber of Commerce.

With appreciation,

CHAIR-ELECT

George Chase Insurors of Texas

VICE CHAIR

Kary Lalani Lalani Lodging, Inc.

VICE CHAIR

Philip Patterson, FACHE Ascension Providence Healthcare Network

IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR Rick Tullis Capstone Mechanical

PRESIDENT & CEO

Matt Meadors Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce

CHAMBER STAFF Jennifer Branch Director of Existing Industries & Workforce Development Kris Collins Senior Vice President Economic Development Gabriella Colurciello Associate Director of Marketing & Communications Leigh Davis Director of Marketing & Communications Nancy Gupton Resource Development Director Keith Kusler Art Director Rachel Martinez Director of Leadership Development Debbie McCutchen Economic Development Coordinator Sarah McDonald Resource Development Coordinator

Matthew T. Meadors President & CEO

Matt Meadors President/CEO Seth Morris Vice President Economic Development Jason Powers Vice President of Finance & Operations Lexy Reil Research & Project Manager Ricky Vasquez Director of Signature Events Michelle Williams Finance & Operations Assistant Alivia Zepeda Resource Development Manager

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SUMMER 2021

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING EDITION 8

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ABOUT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING

22 INSIDE WACO’S MANUFACTURING SECTOR 24 HEROES MAKE AMERICA

SONOCO-WACO, PEOPLE BUILD BUSINESSES

32 LEGAL MINUTE: SEVERANCE AGREEMENT TIPS FOR EMPLOYERS 34 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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ON THE MARKET

MARKET REPORT

ECONOMY IN FOCUS

40 CHAMBER NEWS

TSTC IS LASER-FOCUSED ON ITS CORE MISSION

50 MEMBER NEWS 58 RIBBON CUTTINGS 62 NEW MEMBERS

28 FALLAS AUTOMATION, ADVANCED ROBOTICS IN WACO

ON THE COVER

Waco is home to advanced manufacturers who utilize the latest technologies and methods to serve their customers.

Among these is Sonoco-Waco, a leader in innovative packaging solutions.

Read more on page 10.

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EDITOR

Leigh Davis

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Greater Waco Business is published and distributed to Chamber members and economic development prospects. Digital copies are available online at WacoChamber.com.

Gabriella Colurciello

This publication is printed on FSC-certified paper.

ART DIRECTOR

© 2021 Greater Waco Chamber 101 S. Third St. Waco TX 76701 • (254) 757-5600

Keith Kusler

AD SALES

Gabriella Colurciello (254) 757-5618 gcolurciello@wacochamber.com

The Greater Waco Chamber reserves the right to reject editorial or advertising content in the Greater Waco Business publication, and via the organization’s full range of communications platforms, at its sole discretion.

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ABOUT ADVANCED MANUFACTURING

A

, and m e of he o he t of more

dvanced manufacturing includes operations that incorporate new technologies, production procedures and systems to improve the manufacturing process. Further, it refers to those industries that are technology-intensive and employ a larger than average number of workers in research and development. Waco’s advanced manufacturing target includes aerospace and defense, food and beverage, consumer products and companies that manufacture

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materials, transportation equipment, machinery, energy storage and electrical equipment and other components.

The Waco MSA manufacturing employment base represents approximately 14% of the workforce (16,000 employees).

Manufacturing skill sets reflect Waco’s diverse and advanced industrial base including transportation equipment, pharmaceutical, food and beverage, electronic assembly, industrial equipment, building

materials, plastic and steel manufacturers.

Area colleges, including McLennan Community College, Baylor University and Texas State Technical College, supply a broad spectrum of workforce training.

Baylor University’s top-rated business, entrepreneurship and engineering programs offer talent and research capacity.

Texas State Technical College boasts Texas’ No. 1 precision production, manufacturing and engineering associate/ certificate programs and is

among the top 10 in the nation in awarding two-year technical engineering and computer science degrees.

Our strong workforce pipeline has helped to attract industry leaders to Greater Waco like Mars Wrigley Confectionery, AbbVie, Coca-Cola North America, Versalift, ZINKPOWER, Envases, Uzin Utz, Aspen Custom Trailers and a host of other leadingedge manufacturers and suppliers. n photo by clayton-cardinalli

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by Jeremy Mitchell, Technical Manager, Sonoco Flexibles Division and Sara Schlesinger, PhD, Process Engineer, Sonoco Flexibles Division

SINCE SONOCO EXPANDED TO WACO IN 2006, THE COMPANY HAS NOT STOPPED GROWING.

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Upon landing in Waco in 2006, after the acquisition of Seville-FlexPack, Sonoco-Waco sales were just over $6 million.

Since then, sales have increased more than ten-fold. SonocoWaco has more than tripled its workforce, with teammates increasing from 23 to more than 80 today. Sonoco has invested well over $25 million in this facility with capital going to

new primary equipment and secondary equipment, storage racks, lighting upgrades and machinery improvements.

Whether it’s through opening capacity by working on DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, control) and lean projects or adding capacity through investment, our goal is to reach over $100 million in sales.

Schiavi II Printing Press

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Located along Texas Central Parkway, Sonoco Flexible Packaging – Waco services the consumer packaging division of Sonoco Products Company, headquartered in Hartsville, S.C. Waco utilizes the rotogravure printing process with in-line lamination to manufacture 1, 2, 3 and even 4 ply flexible food-safe packaging. This packaging is used by customers to house confections, baked goods, coffee and other food products. SonocoWaco works with customers to understand their packaging needs like functionality, convenience, storage and visual appeal to produce high-quality, innovative, value-creating packaging solutions.

Once an idea is conceptualized, teammates convert raw packaging substrates into printed material that includes the customer’s specific colors, logos, item numbers and UPC/QR codes.

The printed and laminated material is then sent through the finishing department to complete customer requirements and is shipped. SonocoWaco’s customer mix extends as far north as Toronto, Canada, as close as Mars Wrigley in Waco, and as far south as Puebla, Mexico.

Sonoco is constantly looking toward the future and that includes the sustainability of products.

There are projects in the works with several major customers on transitioning structures to monomaterial recycle ready films. With the specific technical requirements of many structures, this is a sizeable challenge. Sonoco is constantly looking for ways to eliminate its carbon footprint.

At Sonoco, we believe “People build business by doing the right thing.” As a corporation, we have celebrated the contributions of the people who have built our business for more than 120 years. Today, we remain devoted to our team

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by providing a caring, safe and fulfilling work environment. Employees are involved in every level of our safety program. They conduct monthly plant safety audits, lead and participate in eight different safety teams and take part in robust near-miss reporting systems which require employees to document any potentially unsafe condition or behaviors they observe and report these events to drive improvement.

Each teammate is also involved in the Sonoco Performance System, a process that drives sustainable continuous improvement in safety, quality and production.

Over the past two years, Sonoco has reduced its turnover rate in Waco by 62%. This is, in part, due to yearly wage analyses that have resulted in hourly pay increases. It can also be attributed to the continuous skills development team, which has worked to reduce the time from onboarding to fully qualified (at which point an employee begins to receive certified-position level pay) from an average of 16 weeks to just six weeks.

“People build business by doing the right thing”

Even as Sonoco grows in Waco, teammates still consider the facility a small family. During the freeze in February, Sonoco was fortunate to have electricity. The company opened its doors to employees day and night so they could have hot showers, light and warmth.

The company is also committed to employees furthering their education and skills. Always looking to grow its workforce, Sonoco-Waco has relationships with the career services department

Rotomec Printing Press

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at McLennan Community College (MCC) and Baylor University’s Career Center to help place students into open positions. In February 2021, Sonoco attended the annual meeting of the MCC Engineering Advisory Council, which afforded the company the opportunity to be featured at one of the MCC Engineering & Physics Club’s Homework Nights where Sonoco-Waco discussed internship opportunities and career paths, as well as, how students might prepare themselves for interviews within the engineering industry. Sonoco-Waco also participates in a Skills Development Fund grant with MCC through the Texas Workforce Commission, which enables the company to bring both technical and non-technical training directly to employees through zoom training sessions and on-the-job training videos. Every employee at Sonoco-Waco has participated in these trainings in some way, and the training videos are an important tool to help bridge the gap between reading a standard operating procedure and performing production tasks.

Sonoco-Waco serves many instantly recognizable brands. Major customers include Mondelez International, Mars Wrigley, Perfetti Van Melle, Goetze, Mother Parkers and others. In Waco, the company offers many unique packaging innovations. One of these is Clearguard, a clear structure with an extremely high barrier that can be used for snack bars. One of the biggest packaging innovations in Waco is the snack and seal structure (SNS) for Mondelez International, a resealable package that houses Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Fig Newtons and other cookies. More than half of all SNS packages are made right here in Waco.

The company is also working to increase market share in smart lidding, a resealable flexible lid that covers plastic containers holding fruits and other food items. It is just one of many new business opportunities for Sonoco.

Continuous improvement is a huge part of Sonoco and that holds true for the Waco plant. For the past several years, Sonoco has implemented a program called Sonoco Performance System (SPS). This is an overall continuous improvement program that works on creating value-driven

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Sonoco is continuously working to find, reduce and eliminate waste, whether that be time, material, talent, or other wastes.

DMAIC projects. DMAIC stands for define, measure, analyze, improve, control and is a controlled method for setting the scope of a project and ensuring decisions about the project are made with supporting data. SPS is a program that not only encourages employee participation but also demands it. There are several pillars that focus on different aspects of the plant including safety, quality, production, cleanliness/organization (5S), maintenance, etc. Waco was lucky enough to be chosen as the SPS pilot plant for the flexibles division in 2012. By reducing returned sales, internal waste, downtime, and other important metrics, we worked our way through bronze, silver, and finally gold status, which we reached in 2015.

When a plant reaches gold, they must be recertified every other year. Waco was the first gold plant in the entire company to be recertified without contingency and has since been recertified twice.

Because SPS is about continuous improvement, Sonoco is continuously working to find, reduce and eliminate waste, whether that be time, material, talent, or other wastes. Some examples of projects completed in just the last year at the Waco Plant are changeover time/waste reduction and a project we call Sonocoly.

2020 SPS Department Champions

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One of the biggest wastes in flexible packaging, both in time and material, is a process referred to as ‘changeover’. This is the time period starting from the end of running item A to the beginning of running good material for item B. During that time, there are several individuals involved in making the many changes necessary to begin running item B. Inks need to be swapped out, printing cylinders need to be removed, printing cylinders need to be added, doctor blades (used to wipe away excess ink) need to be swapped out, raw materials may need to be changed, web path may alter, among other changes. When Sonoco first acquired the plant in Waco, a changeover would take multiple shifts (each more than 8 hours). Over the years, the team has implemented many projects that gradually reduced this time to allow for multiple changeovers in a single shift. The Waco plant recently completed a DMAIC project focused on the newest press. This project analyzed the current process and decided to rebuild and replace the existing process. This has been one of the most successful projects yet, reducing the internal waste during changeover and the time required to complete the changeover by nearly 50% from previous levels.

buying properties within the plant using ‘money’ earned based on their teams performance metrics; however, instead of paying each other rent, the plant manager is also rolling dice around the board and is the only one who pays rent. Just like in Monopoly, players can trade properties with each other and buy buildings to increase the rent on their owned properties. At the end of a quarter each team can spend their total earnings on various prizes including food deliveries, “mymarket” cards and a trip to Saltgrass. This project has been a tremendous success and was entirely devised and led by an employee. It is currently being leveraged to plants not only throughout the division, but throughout the company. n

Sonocoly is a program directed at employee engagement in helping to control gains made by other projects. Sonocoly is based off the wellknown Hasbro game Monopoly; in Sonocoly players move around the board by rolling dice,

The Game of Sonocoly along with Creator Michael Canales Founded in 1899, Sonoco is a global provider of consumer, industrial, healthcare, and protective packaging. With annualized net sales of approximately $5.2 billion, the company has 20,000 employees working in approximately 300 operations in 34 countries, serving some of the world’s best known brands in some 85 nations. Sonoco is committed to creating sustainable products, services and programs for our customers, employees and communities that support our corporate purpose of “Better Packaging.

Better Life.” The company was listed as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for 2021 and was included in Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable Companies for the third year in a row.

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by Edgar Padilla, Provost, Texas State Technical College

“Change is the only constant in life.”

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus penned this thought sometime around 500 B.C., and he surely could not have imagined how his hypothesis would endure through the years. Ask any higher education administrator today, and they’ll share the same sentiment.

The last 20 years in higher education have demonstrated the need for institutional adaptability and innovation. Spurred by emerging technologies, shifts in student demographics, new learning pedagogies, and a more focused approach on employability, higher education is now challenged with a competitive landscape that was not present just one generation ago. In the era of ubiquitous knowledge and access to a multitude of learning platforms, colleges must now answer the question: Why should a student choose us?

This challenge was not lost on me when I humbly accepted the role of provost of Texas State Technical College’s (TSTC) Waco campus

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in February 2021. During my 14 years in higher education (almost 10 at TSTC), I’ve been fortunate enough to develop experience in a number of functional areas, including workforce training, educational partnerships, industry relations, community affairs and campus administration.

My time working with talented colleagues and industry partners strengthened my personal commitment to our mission. I’ve witnessed the commendable efforts of so many leaders in public secondary education, higher education, industry, government, and even nonprofits who are committed to educating our communities about the many opportunities that are available in technical education.

While much work remains, we can be proud of what we’ve done to shed light on the importance of technical careers in Texas.

This challenge has been central to our direction at TSTC. Since 1965, when our Waco campus opened as TSTI (Texas State Technical Institute), our mission has been simple: monitor and respond to the nuances in state and local economies to produce highly skilled workers in cutting-edge industries. Or, as we like to say around campus, “Place more Texans in higher-paying jobs.” Some of the technology in those industries has changed dramatically over the years. Cybersecurity, for all intents and purposes, didn’t exist outside of the defense industry until the late ’90s. Welding, on the other hand, is still about the ability to measure, fabricate and forge two pieces of metal into one. (My description leaves much to be desired … metallurgy, robotics, trigonometry and thermodynamics play a role in there, too!) One thing has not changed. In fact, it’s only grown – the demand for technical expertise in the Texas economy, and its direct impact on the success of our communities.

Consider that today, and well into the future (based on most projections), our economy will still

experience a wide skills gap. Middle-skill workers, characterized as possessing a technical skill set that requires a postsecondary award but less than a baccalaureate, make up the bulk of the need in the economy. This trend will continue for another generation or two, and if harnessed it promises to be a bridge to prosperity for communities, industry and individual learners. Addressing the skills gap in Texas will continue to be a focus for TSTC, and we’re proud of the altruistic nature of this charge.

One of the industries experiencing the most growth and demand for skilled workers is advanced manufacturing. Manufacturing processes, advances in technology, and economies of scale have completely changed the face of manufacturing as most of us know it.

One imagines the Rust Belt scenes in old movies of workers carrying lunch pails, punching clocks and earning low wages. In fact, the opposite is true today. Walk through a modern manufacturing plant, and you’re greeted with robotic arms, clean rooms, pneumatics, hydraulics and PLC’s (programmable logic controllers). Highly skilled engineers, technicians and managers are relied upon to design plant operations that result in little waste, and production lines that often run

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24 hours a day. Most importantly, wages are high, driven by demand that did not exist in previous generations. The comeback of this industry is an American story steeped in grit, and for Waco it presents a tremendous opportunity.

Our friends at the Greater Waco Chamber, City of Waco and McLennan County will attest to the monumental challenge and complexity of economic development. Leaders in our communities are faced with the task of reconciling massive amounts of data points, telling a compelling story, and capturing the attention and commitment of major industries across the nation. Our competition is fierce, but the focus on manufacturing careers among our community’s leadership is paramount for one reason. Companies seeking to relocate have a number of checkpoints to consider, including land, incentives, tax rates/ abatements, general business and political climate, etc. But, chief among their concerns is the talent pipeline that will be necessary to successfully launch, sustain and grow their operations. Through the efforts of so many in Waco, our community has experienced tremendous economic growth, business retention, and expansion in the last several years. That does not happen accidentally, and TSTC is proud to play a vital role in the technical

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talent development and acquisition of workers for these projects.

In order to do so, TSTC will maintain its laser focus on our core mission. Our technical advisory boards, made up of industry experts, serve to keep us focused on emerging technologies and necessary changes in curriculum or equipment. Industry relations, workforce training, and career services teams are at the tip of the spear, engaging in C-suite discussions with industry to ensure their strategic priorities are met. Our aggressive conversion timeline to performance-based education will ensure that additional enrollment, completion, and placement capacities are aligned with the expectation of students and industry. We’ve never had a deeper sense of urgency to fulfill our mission and its importance to the Texas economy. In the course of doing so, we will humbly, and proudly, demonstrate our commitment to the success of Waco, McLennan County, and the state of Texas. n

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2021 HONOREES Mark Arias American Bank

Eduardo Garcia

Helados La Azteca & Lalo’s Coffee and Pastries

Benjamin Gomez Neighborly Brands

Natalie Kelinske Waco Foundation

Eric Linares Eastside Market

Israel Loachamin FBC Waco & La Puerta

Stephanie Mabry

United Way Waco-McLennan County

Aaron Mize

Communities In Schools of the Heart of Texas

Vanessa Reyes TFE

Kennedy Sam Creative Waco

Dr. Lakia Scott Baylor University

Rhiannon Settles

Waco Independent School District

Will Suarez

Be Kind Coffee, Kurbside Coffee & Hidefwilly Inc. PRESENTING SPONSOR

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Manufacturing represents more than 14% of the Greater Waco economy – 1.5 times the State and National averages. As such, Greater Waco boasts a robust base of suppliers from machining, supply chain, packaging, recruiting to product development and design.

Sanderson Farms

Headquartered in Laurel, Mississippi, Sanderson Farms is a Fortune 1000 company engaged in the production, processing, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen chicken and other prepared food items. The processing plant in Waco opened in 2007 and has the capacity to process 1.3 million chickens each week.

L3Harris

L3Harris Technologies is an agile global aerospace and defense technology innovator, delivering end-to-end solutions that meet customers’ missioncritical needs. The company provides advanced defense and commercial technologies across air, land, sea, space and cyber domains. L3Harris has approximately $17 billion in annual revenue, 50,000 employees and customers in more than 130 countries. The Waco operation focuses on communication systems and defense aircraft modifications.

AbbVie

AbbVie’s mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow.

The company strives to have a remarkable impact on people’s lives across several key therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, neuroscience, eye care, virology, women’s health and gastroenterology, in addition to products and services across its Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. The Waco production facility is a unique asset within the AbbVie portfolio focused on pharmaceutical eyecare products, including Restasis, Latisse, Lumigan, Optive and Refresh Tears.

Mars

Mars is a family-owned business with more than $35 billion in global sales.

Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries.

The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire 130,000 associates into taking action every day towards creating a better world tomorrow. The Waco production facility produces 100% of Starburst distributed in North America and the majority of Skittles and Snickers products. The Waco operation produces enough Snickers bars annually to circle the earth.

Largest maufacturing companies in Greater Waco based on employee count.

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Cargill Across the decades, Cargill has remained true to the vision of founder W.W. Cargill: helping farmers prosper, connecting markets and bringing consumers the products they’re seeking. Along the way, it advanced how food and agriculture work, with breakthroughs that changed what was possible. Cargill’s protein processing plant in Waco was established in 1965 and consists of 381,275 square feet of production space.

Pilgrim’s As one of the world’s largest poultry producers and a fully integrated pork producer, Pilgrim’s has provided wholesome, quality products to customers and consumers for more than seven decades. Products made in Waco are distributed across the United States to major retailers and restaurants.

Howmet Aerospace

Howmet Aerospace is a leading global provider of advanced engineereed solutions for the aerospace and transportation industries. Its primary businesses focus on jet engine components, aerospace fastening systems and titanium structrual parts necessary for mission-critical performance and efficiency in aerospace and defense applications, as well as forged wheels for commercial transportation. Its businesses reported annual revenue of over $7 billion in 2019. Howmet’s Waco operation is unique within the company, manufacturing fasteners for the vehicular transportation industry.

Versalift - A Time Manufacturing Company

Versalift Southwest, a subsidiary of Time Manufacturing Company, is a whollyowned distributor of Versalift aerial lifts, digger derricks and cable placers.

Versalift Southwest occupies a 16-acre, state-of-the-art assembly and upfitting facility where it sells, services, and provides parts for Versalift, Skybird, Ruthmann and Condor products in the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. The Waco operation is the headquarter and the global leader in aerial lift vehicles.

Coca-Cola North America

Coca-Cola North America’s vision is to craft the brands and choice of drinks that people love, to refresh them in body & spirit. This is done in ways that create a more sustainable business and better shared future that makes a difference in people’s lives, communities and planet. The Waco facility produces a number of well-known brands including Gold Peak Tea, Powerade, Minute Maid products, Simply, and more.

Owens-Illinois

Owens-Illinois Inc., one of the largest glass bottle manufacturers in the world, originally came out of the famous Glass Capital of the World—Toledo, Ohio—in 1903. With its success came expansion, and the company opened a plant in Waco, Texas, on February 22, 1944. The Waco plant is a significant contributor to the Waco economy and several beverage companies across the nation.

Owens-Illinois Inc. focuses on creating innovative, distinctive and beautiful glass packaging that builds brands and drives consumer intrigue.

+

Advanced Manufacturing More than 15,000 acres in 11 area business parks

Real Estate

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The Manufacturing Institute, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit and workforce development and education partner of the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), launched Heroes MAKE America in 2018 to build connections between the military community and the manufacturing industry. Their signature program, a DoD approved SkillBridge program, provides integrated certification and career-readiness training in partnership with local community and technical colleges to prepare transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard members, reservists and military spouses for rewarding careers in manufacturing.

Heroes MAKE America currently operates in-person training at Ft. Hood, TX as well as Ft. Riley, KS, Ft. Bragg, NC and Ft. Campbell, KY. On May 10, 2021, Heroes MAKE America launched a new mechatronics training program in partnership with Texas State Technical College (TSTC) Waco Campus.

Mechatronics is an emerging field that integrates electrical and mechanical engineering, advanced manufacturing, and computer technology, and is in high demand with manufacturers.

Participants will receive 12 weeks of accelerated training for in-demand industry certifications that include seven certifications from the Smart Automation Certification Alliance (SACA) Specialist series that certify Industry 4.0 technical skills in troubleshooting, programming, maintaining, and integrating systems.

Additionally, participants will train on essential advanced manufacturing topics that include electrical components and schematics, mechanical components and electric drives, pneumatics and hydraulics, digital fundamentals and automation, and programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Participants

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also receive wrap around career and placement support as part of the program. Heroes MAKE America, in partnership with TSTC, will host three cohorts a year and look forward to watching these American Heroes become tomorrow’s manufacturing leaders. n

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The Waco Young Professionals (YP) is an opportunity for professionals between the ages of 21 and 40, who call the Greater Waco area home, to network and develop professionally. Whether Waco has been home for years or just a few months, there is opportunity for anyone to forge new relationships within the organization.

The vision of the Waco YPs is to be an organization that facilitates the transition, development and advancement of the young professionals in the Greater Waco area as the future leaders of the community. The organization diligently fosters and prepares an exceptional pool of confident, competent and well-rounded Young Professionals who feel compelled to promote economic sustainability, engage within their community, and create a valuable, business network.

Each month the Waco YPs host a membership gathering called the Lunch Connection. This is an opportunity for members to meet and hear and learn from a guest speaker on a relevant topic. After-work happy hours are quite popular as well, providing a laid-back atmosphere to get to know fellow young professionals. For current event offerings, follow along on Facebook and Instagram (@WacoYPs)!

The Waco YPs also offer a unique opportunity for members to rub shoulders with some of Waco’s most seasoned professionals through the Waco Executive Mentoring Program. The premise of this program is to provide our members the opportunity to cultivate relationships with seasoned business professionals and community leaders who are passionate about pouring into the next generation of leadership.

This group is where you want to be, if you are a young professional in Waco! For more information you can visit WacoYP.org. n

“Waco YP’s has given me a source of community that loves, equips, and challenges me in my career and daily life.

This organization fosters community and relationships that extend beyond scheduled meetings and into genuine friendship.”

-Baxter Swint, Kelly Realtors WACOCHAMBER.COM

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FALLAS AUTOMATION Advanced Robotics in Waco

By Daniel Maeyaert, VP of Manufacturing Operations, Fallas Automation

T

he Waco community has been known for many things over the years with its most recent fame centering on silos and shiplap. However, Waco has had a strong manufacturing background for decades that has steadily grown. Centered directly between Dallas and Austin, Waco has continued to draw manufacturing companies to the area due to its proximity to larger cities and land availability.

However, while outside manufacturing companies continue to eye Waco as a place

for growth, Fallas Automation, a familyowned company, has been manufacturing in Waco for 42 years and is still going strong.

Fallas Automation, founded by David Fallas, opened its doors in 1979 on highway 84. After helping build Waco’s Mars Wrigley Confectionery plant and working his way up to Engineering Director, Fallas left Mars with a vision to provide world-class case packing to the food industry. Fallas Automation’s first big success was in developing Collators for the potato chip industry. The Collator was a semi-automatic case packer that

Fallas Automation facility on Imperial Drive in Waco

Blind Rehab Unit

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stood bags of chips upright for faster packing into cases. Fallas expanded on this success and moved on to fully automatic case packers with the gravity NDX case packing line.

Fallas Automation continued to expand its line of case packers by adding multi-axis robots and numerous patents to accompany them. The company continued development of case packers and the addition of multi-axis robots expanded customer opportunities and robotic implementation. As the company grew, Fallas Automation moved to 7000 Imperial Drive and began a process of continual expansion. Over the years, Fallas Automation has had consistent partnerships with many international companies such as Starbucks Coffee, Hershey, and Pepperidge Farm.

As partnerships grew, several building expansions have taken place year over year adding thousands of square feet with each addition. The latest expansion took place in 2019 and added 10,000 more square feet for both the production floor and administrative use.

The continued success of Fallas Automation has allowed this company to both employ and retain a talented workforce from the Waco community.

Every few years celebrations are held as employees are

Patented Fallas Adabot robot.

Top selling case packer for the last 14 years

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recognized for their time with the company. To date, Fallas Automation has employees that have been with the company for 20, 30, and even 40 years.

Fallas strives to hire top level employees to continue to provide successful, stateof-the-art robotics and automation.

David Fallas’ success comes from his ingenuity and hard work and can be seen through Fallas Automation’s constant desire to provide the best case packers to its customers. Fallas Automation continues to strive for excellence and more than 40 years later, continues to provide simple, easy-to-operate, longlasting machines. Fallas’ continued success can be attributed to top level engineering and execution. As a Waco born company, Fallas Automation is a testament to how Waco provides an excellent home to bring talented workforce to manufacture nationally recognized machines. n

Fallas Case Former, newest edition to arsenal of box erectors

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| 31

LEGAL MINUTE

by Teresa Schiller, Attorney, Beard Kultgen Brophy Bostwick & Dickson, PLLC

W

orking for only one employer during one’s lifetime is a rarity these days. Modern-day businesses must be poised for employment transitions, both voluntary and involuntary. Most of the workforce is employed at will, meaning that they do not have employment contracts governing issues such as discharge and non-competition. Therefore, severance agreements that spell out the terms of certain employees’ departures can be effective risk management tools for businesses. Here are some basic tips for employers.

1. How can severance agreements be beneficial to employers?

Severance agreements can be beneficial to employers, including with respect to (1) liability, (2) confidentiality, (3) retention of customers and workers, and (4) business reputation.

First, a severance agreement can help to minimize the risk that a departing employee will sue his employer. An employee who is fired may be angry and tempted to “fire back” with a legal claim for wrongful termination, discrimination, payment discrepancies, and/or workplace injury. Sometimes, when an employee quits, a business may perceive that it has exposure for a constructive discharge claim or other claim. Also, businesses that offer exit incentive programs to groups of employees may want takers to waive potential claims. A severance agreement may address these types of concerns

32 | SUMMER 2021

by requiring a former employee to (a) release the business, its affiliated companies, and its personnel (the “releasees”) from liability, (b) agree not to sue the releasees, and (c) acknowledge that the releasees do not admit wrongdoing by virtue of the agreement.

A second benefit is that severance agreements can help businesses to prevent the disclosure of their confidential information (“CI”), such as trade secrets, customer lists, and sales strategies. The agreement clearly may define CI and provide examples of it. The former employee may be required to acknowledge that any CI he created while on company time is company property, and that tangible CI must be returned. He also may be required to agree that neither he nor his family will disclose CI in the future.

Third, severance agreements can benefit businesses by helping to prevent poaching or interference with customers, employees, and independent contractors.

Non-competition language can limit a former employee’s ability to lure these people away for his own competitive gain. This type of language also can bar his interference with the company’s business relationships (regardless of whether the former employee personally stands to benefit).

A fourth benefit is that severance agreements can help businesses to preserve reputational value. Language can be included that obligates a former employee to refrain from communicating negatively about the business, its affiliated companies, and its personnel.

2. Why may severance agreements be attractive to departing employees?

Severance agreements are attractive to some departing employees. They may be worried about having enough resources for short-term needs, particularly when departures are involuntary and unexpected. The lump-sum payments and/or benefits that commonly are offered in severance agreements can help provide relief.

3. What are some potential challenges to enforceability that employers should be mindful of?

Potential challenges to employers’ enforceability of severance agreements include the following: (1) lack of “knowing and voluntary” consent; (2) lack of consideration; (3) waiver of non-releasable rights; (4) waiver of future rights; (5) unreasonable non-competition requirements; and (6) violation of other applicable law.

Legal counsel can help to prepare severance agreements in ways that reduce the risk of these challenges.

First, a former employee may challenge the enforceability of a severance agreement based on lack of knowing and voluntary consent. Claims may relate, for example, to (a) whether plain language is used in the agreement, (b) whether the former employee had the opportunity to consult an attorney, and (c) whether he had enough time to think about the agreement before signing it.

Second, a severance agreement may be challenged for lack of consideration. Consideration is the payment and/ or benefit provided to a former employee in exchange for entering into the agreement. A key issue here is that the payment and/or benefit must be over and above any wages or benefits otherwise due to him as a result of his employment.

Third, a severance agreement may be challenged for purporting to waive non-releasable rights. For example, federal law relating to age discrimination requires that people over 40 be given at least 21 days to consider a severance agreement, and 7 days to revoke their signature. These rights cannot be waived.

Fourth, a claim of non-enforceability may be based on waiver of future rights. An example is the waiver of rights relating to discriminatory acts occurring in the future -after the agreement has been signed.

Fifth, a former employee may assert that a severance agreement contains unreasonable non-competition requirements. Texas law historically has disfavored restrictions on competition. Therefore, Texas courts look carefully at factors such as the “reasonableness” of a restricted activity, geographic area, and time period when considering enforceability.

Sixth, a severance agreement may be challenged based on violation of other applicable law. For example, state contractual law relating to coercion or mistake could be invoked. Additionally, federal wage-and-hour law could apply to a question about unpaid wages.

In conclusion, severance agreements -- if prepared carefully -- can be beneficial to businesses concerned about the potential combustibility of certain employee departures. n Teresa Schiller is a business and employment lawyer at Beard Kultgen, which has offices in Waco and Dallas. Teresa can be reached at schiller@thetexasfirm.com.

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 33

ON THE MARKET

221 Cotton Drive Waco, TX Light Manufacturing Facility for Sale • 15,080 sqft available with 2,700 sqft office • On 0.81 acres, less than 0.5 miles from Highways 84 and 6 • Tilt wall construction with 12’-15’ clear height • Grade, dock high and delivery doors • Climate controlled • Fenced asphalt yard • Sale price, asking $830,000

221 Cotton Drive (30 Min Drivetime)

Value

Population (30 Minute Drive Total; 2010) 291,874 # of Households 113,102 Median Age 34.3 years Median Household Income $68,457

Labor Force (30 Minute Drive) 139,829 Employed 135,372 Unemployment Rate 3.01% Proximity to Major Roadways (in Miles) Interstate 35 State Highway 6 (Loop 340) US Highway 84 US Highway 77 Top 5 Industries (5 Mile Radius)

Health / Social Services / Education Retail / Wholesale Information / Professional Services / RE Banking, Finance, Insurance Manufacturing / Construction / Transport

Distance 2.6 mi 0.1 mi 0.1 mi 4.3 mi

Traffic Count 113,790 vpd 73,280 vpd 67,920 vpd 17,360 vpd

Count (%) 2,015 (26.47%) 1,588 (20.87%) 1,247 (16.39%) 710 (9.33%) 588 (7.72%)

Employees 24,471 23,917 10,220 4,313 10,26

Source: Info USA

For more information on available properties, including demographic reports and surrounding businesses in Greater Waco, visit WacoProspector.com or call (254) 757-5627

34 | SUMMER 2021

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 35

MARKET REPORT

Cargill

Industry: Manufacturing Market: National Cargill will expand operations at its Lake Shore Drive facility in Waco, Texas. Over the next five years, Cargill plans to invest $10.75 million in capital investment to add a new deli slice production line at the local plant. This expansion will lead to the creation of 125 total new jobs to service the facility.

Envases

Industry: Manufacturing Market: National A Mexico-based global leader in the production of packaging solutions broke ground on its first U.S. aluminum can production and distribution center in Waco, Texas. Once completed in late 2021, this $100 million investment will have more than 450,000 square feet of production and distribution space and employ 120 skilled, full-time employees.

Uzin Utz

Industry: Manufacturing Market: Regional Uzin Utz North America has selected Waco, Texas to build its second North American manufacturing facility. Uzin Utz North America, a subsidiary of Uzin Utz AG, is a vertically integrated manufacturer of product installation systems for all types of floor coverings worldwide. The $34 million investment will yield a 125,000 square-foot manufacturing facility that will produce self-leveling compounds, thin set and grout material for tile installation, and patching compounds under the UZIN brand.

SUMMER2018 2021 36 | WINTER

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| 37

ECONOMY IN FOCUS

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE MAY 2020

118,029

13.0% 11.8% 10.0%

UNITED STATES

MAY 2021

LABOR FORCE

TEXAS

5.5% 5.9%

UNITED STATES

TEXAS

MAY 2020

WACO MSA

128,977

5.1% WACO MSA

MAY 2021

SOURCE: BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

FIRST TEXAS MSA TOVELS! E TH IS SA M O AC W D EMPLOYMENT LE ACHIEVE PRE-COVI

Ec n i Ou lo U.S. Average Composite: 100 WACO COST OF LIVING First Quarter 2021

Source: 2021 Data Purchasing Power

38 | SUMMER 2021

Waco Composite: 89.5

PURCHASING POWER

COMPARISON CITIES

Housing:

75.8

Chattanooga, TN:

93.5

Groceries:

79.2

Ashville, NC:

106.8

Utilities:

103.8

Greenville, SC:

91.2

Transportation:

90.3

Richmond, VA:

96.7

Health Care:

92.9

Colorado Springs, CO:

104.4

Misc. Goods & Services:

100.1

Kansas City, KS:

95.0

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 39

CHAMBER NEWS

NEW RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Alivia joined the Chamber staff in April 2021 and currently serves as the Resource Development Manager with a focus on membership. She is originally from the Houston area and moved to Waco to attend Baylor University. She graduated from Baylor in December of 2018 and has years of membership management experience. Alivia and her fiancé are happy to call Waco home. n

NEW DIRECTOR OF SIGNATURE EVENTS

Alivia Zepeda

VIRTUAL MEMBER CELEBRATION In March, your Chamber hosted our virtual Member Celebration!

The virtual event featured an in-depth discussion about how your Chamber responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the economic development successes in 2020 and your Chamber’s plans for the coming year. In addition, the event recognized 2020 Board Chair, Rick Tullis of Capstone Mechanical, and welcomed 2021 Board Chair, Jennifer Manning of Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP. Presenting sponsorships provided

by Allen Samuels Dodge Chrysler Ram Fiat and TFNB Your Bank for Life.

The recording is available at youtube.com/GreaterWacoChamber.

40 | SUMMER 2021

Ricky Vasquez joined the Chamber staff as Director of Signature Events in April 2021. A San Antonio native, Vasquez relocated to Waco upon assuming his role to lead event efforts with the Chamber.

He attended the University of Texas at San Antonio where he graduated with a B.B.A. in Sport, Event & Tourism Management.

Outside of work, Ricky enjoys hiking, biking, weight-training and cooking a mean ribeye. n

Ricky Vasquez

WACOCHAMBER.COM

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CHAMBER NEWS

VIRTUAL WACO DAY IN AUSTIN In late April, the Chamber hosted its biennial Waco Day in Austin event, virtually. Attendees heard updates from state and local representatives on the current legislative session and goals for this year. The recording is available at youtube.com/GreaterWacoChamber.

Presenting sponsorship provided by Texas State Technical College. n

ALLEN SAMUELS CHAMBER CLASSIC In early May, the Chamber hosted a great Allen Samuels Chamber Classic! We could not have asked for better chamber of commerce weather. The professional team was excited to spend the day outside and see everyone who came out. Thanks to our golfers, sponsors and volunteers for spending the day with us!

Presenting sponsorship provided by Allen Samuels Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram Fiat. n

42 | SUMMER 2021

VIRTUAL LEADING WACO WOMEN EMPOWERING SUMMIT The Greater Waco Chamber hosted the annual Leading Waco Women Empowering Summit virtually in May. The livestreamed event featured a panel discussion with new City of Waco Police Chief Sheryl Victorian; Elisa Rainey, Rainey & Rainey LLP Attorneys at Law; Dr. Tyrha Lindsey-Warren, Baylor University and Waco Family & Faith Film Festival; Abby Rhodes Head, Cheddar Box, Franklin Ave Mac House and Pop’s Lemonade; Genevieve Peel, Hole in the Roof and Congress Clothing. The panel discussed the challenges they’ve faced and how they overcame them. The recording is available at youtube.com/GreaterWacoChamber.

The series will continue later this year with the Serving Summit, which will feature the recognition of the 2021 ATHENA Leadership Award recipient. n

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CHAMBER NEWS Leadership Waco class of 2021 with keynote speaker Chief Sheryl Victorian

LEADERSHIP WACO GRADUATION Leadership Waco is a Greater Waco Chamber program designed to identify and develop emerging area leaders and encourage them to become more involved in the community.

Leadership Waco informs, educates and motivates class members through a series of monthly meetings on

topics from healthcare to economic development and philanthropy. More information is available at wacochamber. com/leadership-waco.

Presenting sponsorship is provided by Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP. n

Class XXXVII includes nearly 30 business and civic leaders representing a variety of industries throughout the Waco area: Sune Agbuke Salvador Antonio, Community Bank & Trust Jessica Attas, Texas Association of Business Lute Barber, Haley & Olson PC Christy Bowling, Midway ISD Krista Brinser, Baylor University Benjamin Doskocil, Extraco Banks Mark Firmin, Beard Kultgen Brophy Bostwick & Dickson, PLLC

Sam Fisher, TFNB Your Bank for Life Arthur John Handscomb, University Mazda Kia Christina Helmick , Extraco Banks Kristina Holcomb, Premier ER & Urgent Care Bobby Horner, City of Waco Joel Hudson, Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP Priscilla James, Baylor University Katie King, JRBT Becky Kramm, L3Harris Justus Lindsey, Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, PLLC Nancy McEachern, Insurors of Texas Shyneka Montgomery, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Hillcrest

Janise Ochoa, Capstone Mechnical Nicole Reynolds, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Hillcrest

Clayton Rogers, Pattillo, Brown & Hill, LLP Kevin Stevenson, Ascension Providence Amberly Walker, ESC Region 12 Dr. Rachelle Warren, Waco ISD Carlton Willis, Mission Waco

44 | SUMMER 2021

JENNIFER BRANCH SELECTED FOR U.S. CHAMBER FOUNDATION EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation announced the Greater Waco Chamber’s Director of Existing Industries & Workforce Development, Jennifer Branch, was selected to participate in the fifth cohort of its premiere business leadership program.

The Business Leads Fellowship Program trains and equips leaders from state and local chambers of commerce, economic development agencies, and trade associations with resources, access to experts, and a network of peers to build their capacity to address the most pressing education and workforce challenges.

“I am honored to be selected alongside a very impressive group of leaders,” said Branch. “This program will give me the opportunity to expand my ability to address challenges in our community.

My work, in collaboration with our local partners, remains committed to retaining local talent, developing talent and attracting talent and innovators into our region.”

Branch was selected along with 34 other state and local chamber executives and association leaders to participate in the fifth class of this program. The yearlong virtual program, will cover the entire talent pipeline, including early childhood

education, K-12, higher education, and workforce development.

Upon completion, Jennifer Branch Business Leads Fellows will join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s dedicated network of 200 chambers of commerce and statewide associations from around the nation who regularly engage on education and workforce initiatives. n

WACOCHAMBER.COM

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CHAMBER NEWS

LEAD PROGRAM AWARDS $70,500 IN SCHOLARSHIPS This year, high school students in the Leadership, Education and Development (LEAD) program were presented scholarships at home!

The Greater Waco Chamber team as well as members of the LEAD committee caravanned to the houses or schools of each of the students who earned LEAD scholarships this year.

“This is the largest amount of money we’ve been able to award,” said Rachel Martinez, program director. “We’re so proud of these students and we’re excited to positively impact them this year. Every student who interviewed this year received a scholarship; we are incredibly grateful to all of our scholarship sponsors who make these funds available to these students.”

2021 LEAD Scholarship Recipients: Jordan Burks, Waco High School graduate, $20,000 Bradley Ray Hulse Memorial Scholarship Angel Sanchez, Waco High School graduate, $10,000 LEAD Distinction Scholarship Melissa Moya-Martinez, Waco High School graduate, $6,000 Ambassador Scholarship J.C. Olvera-Perez, University High School graduate, $5,000 Ambassador Scholarship Trenton Freeman, Waco High School graduate, $5,000 Ambassador Scholarship Fernanda Candia, University High School graduate, $4,500 Ambassador Scholarship Nikkie Andrews, Methodist Children’s Home graduate, $3,500 No Boundaries Scholarship Michael Aguilar, Waco High School graduate, $3,000 No Boundaries Scholarship Zyrah Cashaw, La Vega High School graduate, $3,000 No Boundaries Scholarship Takayla Rose, Midway High School graduate, $2,500 Battle Family No Boundaries Scholarship Arath Herrera, Rapoport Academy graduate, $2,000 Alton Davis Memorial Scholarship Xavier Williams, Waco High School graduate, $1,000 Reaching Back As We Climb Scholarship Jadyn Davis, Midway High School graduate, $1,000 LEAD Merit Scholarship Jennifer Cordero, La Vega High School graduate, $1,000 LEAD Merit Scholarship Julianna Ramirez, Rapoport Academy graduate, $1,000 LEAD Merit Scholarship Carlos Perez, Waco High School graduate, $1,000 LEAD Merit Scholarship Naiyeli Perez, Waco High School graduate, $1,000 LEAD Merit Scholarship 46 | SUMMER 2021

SEE THE

VIDEO

WacoChamber.com/LEAD

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 47

CHAMBER NEWS

MIDTEX FARM, RANCH & GARDEN SHOW In April, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2021 MidTex Farm, Ranch & Garden show at the Extraco Event Center’s new BASE Facility. More than 45 exhibitors attended and showed thousands of guests the latest in farming and equipment, tools and technology. In addition to exhibitors,

48 | SUMMER 2021

attendees had the opportunity to attend classes organized in partnership with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service – McLennan County.

Presenting sponsorship provided by Equipment Depot. n

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 49

MEMBER NEWS

NEW AMY’S ATTIC SELF STORAGE LOCATION OPENS IN WACO Amy’s Attic Self Storage is proud to announce the opening of their newest location in Waco, Texas. Conveniently located near Cottonwood Creek Golf Course and Waco ISD Stadium, the state-of-the-art storage facility is adjacent to Central Texas Marketplace and is located at 4700 New Road Ave. Waco, Texas. This new Waco storage facility offers over 100,000 square feet of storage units and is the eighth storage facility locally owned and operated by Amy’s Attic Self Storage

in beautiful Central Texas.

“Amy’s Attic Self Storage facilities are always clean and wellkept/very consistent. I particularly like Amy’s Attic because it’s a chain of storage facilities that doesn’t feel like a chain, but rather like a family-owned business that tries hard to be the safest, cleanest storage place,” said

Kenny Vanover.

The opening day for leasing new storage units began in late March.

For additional information about this new self-storage facility in Waco, including specific pricing and availability, please contact Amy’s by phone at (254) 651-1579. n

THE NOLAN MOORE MEMORIAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO TSTC STUDENTS Since 1995, the Printing and Imaging Association (PIA) of MidAmerica has been managing the Nolan Moore Memorial Education Foundation, giving more than $400,000 to support students and educational institutions in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Texas.

This year the foundation trustees have voted to give funds to support financially at-risk students at TSTC who were negatively affected

by COVID-19. All five of the students who were selected from the Visual Communication Technology program created a video to thank the Foundation for their support. As one of the students, Carol Pope explained in the video, “This scholarship is going to help me finish my degree with a much lower financial burden than I had originally anticipated. It is an honor to be selected.”

Michael Lewis, the Instructional Business Manager of the program, and one of the instructors explained what this support means to his students and his program. “The support given to our students from our industry partners at PIA MidAmerica through the Nolan Moore Education Foundation is important because many of our students experienced financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic. The support is not just financial, but receiving it is an honor to be recognized by such a prestigious organization that serves as a pillar in the printing and graphics communications industry.”

50 | SUMMER 2021

The Printing & Imaging Association of MidAmerica is a regional commercial print and packaging association that serves a diverse group of companies in Kansas, Western Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. PIA MidAmerica helps 400+ member companies be successful through education, training, networking, buying programs, HR support, lobbying, and more. President Teresa Campbell said, “These scholarships are so important to ensuring the future of the print and packaging industry, which functions as an essential part of our national economy. It was an honor to be able to support the next generation of print professionals that have been impacted by the hardship of COVID-19.” n

BIRD-KULTGEN ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP CHANGES Bird-Kultgen Ford is proud to announce the retirement of Peter Kultgen after 53 years of service and leadership at BirdKultgen Ford. Claire McDonald and Mark Stewart have been promoted to the roles of President and Vice President.

Peter started his career at his grandfather J. H. “Jack” Kultgen’s dealership in 1968 working part time after school, holidays and summers. Following his graduation from the University of Texas, Peter went to work full time in 1974.

Peter proudly succeeded Jack in the 80’s and operated the dealership with his brother Edward until Ed’s retirement in 2015. Peter will continue to assist with the transition and remain as an advisor for the dealership and looks forward to continuing his leadership and work with countless civic and charity organizations.

Peter’s daughter Claire started her career at the dealership in the early 90’s washing cars, stocking parts, and selling cars in the summer while attending Baylor. After a 5-year career in the aviation industry in Maryland, she moved back to Waco and has spent the last 12 years learning and preparing for this leadership role. Claire and her husband Theo have two daughters. In their free time they enjoy outdoor adventures, spending time on Lake Waco, and are members of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Claire is currently on the boards of the Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise and TSTC Foundation and is the current chairwoman of the TADA Texas Dealer Academy.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to lead the BirdKultgen team into the future and to continue Bird-Kultgen’s legacy as Waco’s Ford dealership,” said Claire. “Peter has worked hard to make sure I understand the business and how to take care of our customers and team the right way.

I am proud to take the helm along with Mark, who shares the same passions and desires I have for the dealership and community. I’m grateful to our customers for your many years of support, and we will continue to work hard to earn

JOSH JOHNS PROMOTED TO WEEKDAY MORNING METEOROLOGIST Johns, a native Texan and Aggie, joined KXXV/KRHD in 2019.

“Our viewers have relied on Josh’s accurate and reliable forecasts for the last two years.” said KXXV/KRHD News Director Sylvia Villarreal. “Chief Meteorologist Matt Hines and I are thrilled that Josh will remain a value member of the First Alert Storm Team.”

“I am so blessed to be living my dream as a meteorologist and am excited for the new challenge that lies ahead to get Texans ready for their day with an accurate and concise forecast,” said Johns.

Johns previously worked for KLST/KSAN in San Angelo, KFDX

MARK STEWART AND CLAIRE MCDONALD

your business every day, take care of your automotive needs, and make Waco better for everyone living here.”

With 22 years of auto dealership experience, Mark Stewart joined Bird-Kultgen Ford in 2018. Mark is best known for his trustworthy sales approach, commercials, and his care and motivation for his dealership team. Mark is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the dealership. He is also a fourth generation Wacoan, having graduated from Midway High School and Baylor University. He and his wife Amanda have 2 sons, Clayton and Zach. They are members of First Methodist Waco. As a family, they enjoy sports, outdoors and being together. Mark also is a member of Partners, serving local Waco businesses.

“It’s with great honor that I assume this leadership role with this great family and Waco business. I’m truly thankful for Peter’s trust in Claire and myself to continue the commitment to building something truly special that will last for many years to come. Our commitment to serving the customer and our team sets us apart. I’m excited for what Bird-Kultgen will do for our customers and the greater Waco community. The sky is truly the limit.”

Bird-Kultgen has been Waco’s trusted Ford dealer since 1936. n

in Wichita Falls and KRGV in Weslaco. In 2014, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology from Texas A&M University.

“I am a proud Texas Aggie. Texas A&M prepared me not only for a successful career in meteorology, but also in life,” said Johns.

JOSH JOHNS “Growing up in North Texas, I experienced all sorts of severe weather and from an early age, decided I wanted to be the one keeping people safe on TV,” said Johns. “I am blessed to be able to do it all so close to home and with such a talented team like we have here at 25 News. Everyone here genuinely cares about what affects Central Texans day to day.” n WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 51

MEMBER NEWS

MCC DEDICATES ALICE M. STARR PLAZA DURING CEREMONY The dedication ceremony for the Alice M. Starr Plaza on the McLennan Community College campus took place in April. The event began with a performance by the MCC Bosque Singers, followed by presentations from McLennan Presidential Scholars, College administrators, and the Starr family before unveiling the new plaza signage and a reception.

The plaza naming is in honor of Alice Starr’s support of and enduring work with many community organizations in the Waco area. She and her husband

Ken Starr have generously given both their time and financial support to the college. They have been extraordinary hosts for MCC Presidential Scholars on their study tours to Washington, D.C., affording them the opportunity to meet with Supreme Court justices and to have an

insider’s tour of Mount Vernon, where Alice served on the Advisory Board.

Their most recent gift to MCC will fund Presidential scholarships. n

ALLIANCE BANK CENTRAL TEXAS APPOINTS NEW PRESIDENT Alliance Bank Central Texas is proud to announce the promotion of Ricky D. Thompson to bank president. With unanimous support of the bank’s board of directors, Thompson, who previously served as executive vice president and commercial relationship manager, began the new role effective March 17, 2021.

“Ricky is an exceptional choice for this leadership role,” Todd Moore, chairman and CEO said. “His deep understanding of relationship banking has served him well over his career, and a quality we value at our bank. He partners closely with business owners and managers, providing the timely support they need amid the fast pace of business today.

Simply put, Ricky gets things done for his customers. And, he is a team player, which is a must in our organization.”

Thompson assumed the role of president from Todd Moore, who remains CEO and also took on the role of board chairman. Moore succeeds former board chairman Benjy Bauer, who will continue to serve on the board.

“We are very grateful for Benjy’s years of service as board chairman since 2013,” Moore said. “Over this period, bank assets grew from $191 million to $386 million. His leadership has been an integral part of that growth and success 52 | SUMMER 2021

of the bank. We will continue to seek his guidance going forward as he remains a founding board member.”

Thompson brings a RICKY D. THOMPSON TODD MOORE wealth of industry knowledge and 1976 and played seven seasons in the experience to his new role. He has National Football League (NFL), primarily been a community banker in Waco for for the Washington Redskins. Thompson 35 years, holding various leadership continues to pursue his passion for the positions, including bank president. He sport as a sideline radio analyst and joined the Alliance Bank team in 2017 as commentator for Baylor football and executive vice president and commercial as a volunteer football coach for Waco relationship manager. He continues Montessori School. to drive growth, all while keeping Committed to community enrichment, personalized banking experiences top Thompson has served on numerous of mind. boards, including his current role on the “I am honored to continue moving Foundation Board of First Baptist Church Alliance Bank Central Texas forward, Waco. He served as board president remaining committed to help meet the for Heart of Texas American Red Cross, needs of Central Texans,” Thompson Heart of Texas Council Boy Scouts of said.

America, Baylor Lettermen’s Association, and as vice chairman of the University Thompson earned a Bachelor of of Mary Hardin Baylor board of trustees.

Business Administration from Baylor He has also served on the board of Waco University where he played wide Chamber of Commerce, United Way of receiver for the Baylor Bears. He was McLennan County and Texas Sports Hall part of the 1974 Southwest Conference of Fame. Thompson has been inducted Championship team and was also an into the Baylor Athletic Hall of Fame and All-American in track, winning four SWC the Southwest Conference Athletic Hall long jump championships. Thompson of Fame. n was drafted by the Baltimore Colts in

FAMILY HEALTH CENTER UNVEILS NEW BRAND AND NEW NAME: WACO FAMILY MEDICINE Family Health Center, which provides high-quality, comprehensive primary and preventative healthcare to McLennan County residents across 15 operational sites, in conjunction with its renowned Waco Family Medicine Residency Program, together have unveiled a new inclusive brand and name: Waco Family Medicine.

The new Waco Family Medicine brand is intended to unify the two entities – one, a community health center dedicated to making sure all people have access to quality health care; and the other, a distinguished medical residency program that has trained over 400 family doctors.

Uniting together as Waco Family Medicine, the new brand and name simplifies, clarifies, and signifies its shared resolve and purpose: to ensure a healthier Waco for all.

“Our two entities – the former Family Health Center and the

Waco Family Medicine Residency Program – have improved the health of our community for over 50 years,” said Dr. Jackson Griggs, CEO of Waco Family Medicine.

“But when we considered their identities, we could see that they had not kept up with the standard-setting organizations they represent. And we all know that our city has experienced a renaissance of strong new brands.

The new Waco Family Medicine brand signifies our commitment to patients, communicates our story of transformation, and sets us up for another 50+ years of serving the residents of our community.”

Founded in 1969, Waco Family Medicine is one of Waco’s largest economic drivers, providing jobs for 500+ employees, training for 400+ doctors, and offering healthcare services for 100,000+ patients each year. n

DAVID LACY NAMED TO HALL OF FAME David Lacy, president of Community Bank & Trust and member of a longtime banking family in Waco, has been named to the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame.

He was among five bankers inducted during ceremonies on DAVID LACY the campus of Sam Houston State University, site of the hall that honors the contributions of Texas bankers and recognizes pioneers in the industry.

William David Lacy began his 42-year full-time banking career in 1979, following graduation from Baylor University with a degree in accounting and finance. He worked as a teller and in the auditing, information technology and marketing departments before becoming a commercial lender. He was employed at RepublicBank and NationsBank before joining Community Bank & Trust in 1990, where has worked since.

Photos provided by Anna Kathryn Photography

BAILEY HONORED

BY SOCIETY OF CERTIFIED INSURANCE COUNSELORS The Society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) recently honored Wes Bailey, CIC of Bailey Insurance & Risk Management for 40 years of WES BAILEY committed professional leadership and service. He joins an elite group of CIC designees who have reached this 40-year milestone.

Furthermore, Wes serves on the National Faculty of the organization and for the past 30 years has taught his peers the specifics of the Commercial General Liability policy in over 30 states nationwide. n

Lacy’s great-grandfather, grandfather and father, Walter G. Lacy Jr., all served as presidents of Citizens National Bank of Waco between 1909 and 1971. n WACOCHAMBER.COM

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MEMBER NEWS

THREE LOCAL STUDENTS RECEIVE DELL SCHOLARSHIPS Midway High School senior Angeles Perez, University High School senior Darryl Thomas and Waco High School senior Katelyn Eusebio-Garcia have been named 2021 Dell Scholars.

While the financial award of $20,000 helps students with various education expenses, most importantly, the Dell Scholars program is a college-completion program that provides students with key supports they need to obtain a college degree. The program offers personalized, multifaceted support to scholars that extends beyond the financial support, a laptop, and textbook credits, by offering students and their families services and solutions to address issues that can create major barriers to student success.

Scholarship winners also are provided with a teletherapy service that connects students to professional counseling, and a Scholars Resource Network that gives students and their families resources to deal with life circumstances such as managing stress and debt.

Perez is a member of Midway’s AVID program and the Greater Waco Chamber’s Leadership, Education & Development (LEAD) program. The LEAD program is

DARRYL THOMAS

KATELYN EUSEBIO-GARCIA

ANGELES PEREZ

designed to encourage students to graduate and pursue a higher education path by exposing them to local businesses, career options and networking opportunities.

Thomas will attend Texas Christian University in the fall with plans to major in health and fitness. Eusebio-Garcia has been accepted to the University of Texas at Austin and will pursue a biochemistry degree.

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation started the Dell Scholars Program in 2004 as a scholarship and college completion program designed to individually support and empower students on their path to a college degree. The goal of this program is to help students overcome academic challenges, increase financial literacy, and navigate the personal circumstances that impact their college experience. n

INTEG ACQUIRES AMERICAN COLOR LABS AND AMERICAN PRINTING & MAILING IN AUSTIN, TEXAS Integ has announced the acquisition of American Color Labs and American Printing & Mailing, both awardwinning printing and wide format companies based in Austin, Texas.

Integ is now positioned in the top 10 privately held print companies in Texas, according to Printing Impressions Top 400. Now more than 170 employees strong, Integ continues to grow their leadership and strengthen their commitment to serving the needs of the local Texas economy.

“We are joining forces with two highly-regarded Austin, Texas-based printing companies,” says Integ CEO David Anderton. “These acquisitions allow us to make a home in Austin and offer a wider range of capabilities and offerings in technology, services and strategies to better communicate our customers message. Integ believes that communication is our life’s 54 | SUMMER 2021

ambition and the products we provide are centered around delivering your message precisely, through the best channels quickly and efficiently. We are a bunch of Texas based people who love to work with big picture visionaries, tireless producers, creative collaborators, data nerds, and project wranglers. Most importantly, we’re nimble and reliable partners.”

With the acquisition of American Color Labs, Integ has expanded its wide format service with the additions of state-of-the-art equipment and experienced employees. American Color Labs’ wide and grand format capabilities will complement and improve the exisiting capabilities of Integ’s Environmental Graphics Division. Integ will soon begin the transition of American Color Lab’s award-winning production and reputable personnel into the Integ Family. n

Hour Economy provides a quarterly overview of the economic index and recently announced projects followed by a guest speaker discussing topics like emerging economic trends and developments in Waco, all in one hour.

PRESENTING SPONSORS

WacoChamber.com/events

WACOCHAMBER.COM

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MEMBER NEWS

LEAH COX SELECTED AS REALTOR OF THE YEAR BY THE WACO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS Leah Cox, Broker Owner of Kelly, Realtors was selected as the 2021 Realtor of the Year by the Waco Association of Realtors during the 2021 Realtor/Affiliate of the Year and President’s Choice Awards Ceremony Brunch. The Awards Ceremony was held at The Carleen Bright Arboretum.

Kelly, Realtors is a privately-owned company offering full-service brokerage in Central Texas; Residential, Commercial,

Property Management, Land and Ranch, and Relocation Services. We build our business philosophy and company reputation on the premise of quality and knowledgeable salespeople, honesty, and fair dealings. We give back to the community we serve, and we base our business on good principles and high morals. We are proud of our reputation and will continue to maintain the maximum level of service. n

BLACKHAWK ENTERS AVIONICS ARENA WITH BLACKHAWK AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. LAUNCH Blackhawk Aerospace announced that the company has expanded its portfolio of products and services. Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies, Inc. (BAT), a newly formed business entity, has acquired all assets from Columbia Avionics & Aircraft Services, Inc. based at the Columbia, MO Regional Airport (KCOU).

Columbia Avionics has been in business since 1995 working to develop new STCs using avionics packages for Citations and other business jets. Blackhawk plans to expand on Columbia’s success and add a new focus on creating STCs for the turboprop market, which their global network of certified dealers can provide to aircraft owners and operators. Additional capabilities will include maintenance, airframe modifications, and avionics installations.

“Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies is a great addition to our family of companies,” said Jim Allmon, Blackhawk Aerospace President & CEO. “The avionics STC development capabilities of the company will not only provide our dealers with more offerings for their customers, but it will also help Blackhawk to certify engine-to-avionics integrations more quickly and efficiently.

We couldn’t be more excited to welcome this new team to the family.”

BAT will be led by industry-experts Mark Wilken, Conrad Theisen, Lance Fox, and Shad Sones who bring a combined 56 | SUMMER 2021

110 years of avionics experience to the team. Wilken will lead BAT as the company’s President and brings 30 years of experience including the development of more than 50 STCs for installing the latest avionics systems on Beechcraft models including the King Air, Beechjet, Premier, and Hawker.

Theisen will be appointed as Vice President of Sales and Marketing, bringing 25 years of avionics expertise and experience working with avionics OEMs on retrofit programs for King Air series aircraft. Fox will oversee new STC programs as Director of Engineering and brings over 30 years of experience developing an extensive STC portfolio and working closely with avionics and engine OEMs as the two systems became increasingly interconnected. Sones will oversee day-to-day operations at the Columbia, MO facility as General Manager and brings 25 years of industry experience to the team.

“I am very excited to be part of the Blackhawk Aerospace family,” said Wilken, President of BAT. “Blackhawk Aerospace’s long-standing reputation in the King Air series aircraft along with the extensive Citation avionics, STC, and maintenance capabilities at our Columbia facility is a perfect match. Blackhawk Aerospace Technologies will bring King Air and Citation owners and operators the personalized customer attention, quality, and technical experience they have been looking for.” n

WACOCHAMBER.COM

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RIBBON CUTTINGS

Twisted Root Burger Co. Ribbon Cutting on March 11, 2021

Baylor Scott and White Sleep Center Ribbon Cutting on March 15, 2021

Twisted Root Burger Co. is now open in Waco! With high-quality made-to-order burgers, decadent shakes, a ‘come as you are’ environment and a strange reverence for Chuck Norris, there’s no place quite like Twisted Root. We also have new burgers of the month, with $1 going toward nursing scholarships with Baylor Scott & White Health. Come see us at 801 S 2nd Street in downtown Waco, Happy Hour with us 2:07-6:07 WednesdaysFridays or order online.

Baylor Scott & White Health invites the Waco community to experience the restful environment of its new sleep center.

To help the four out of 10 Central Texans suffering from sleep disorders, this clinic provides a full range of diagnostic and treatment options as part of its comprehensive care program.

The clinic will also house Baylor Scott & White’s Home Sleep Testing program and will play a vital role in offering quality sleep medicine services to patients throughout the region.

Blythe Grates, Senior Marketing Director 801 S. 2nd St. Waco, TX 76706 (254) 366-2888 TwistedRootBurgerCo.com

Megan Snipes, Sr. Marketing & Public Relations Consultant 2324 Marketplace Dr., Ste. 220 Waco, TX 76712 (254) 202-4370 BSWHealth.com

Advanced Pain Care

Ribbon Cutting on March 24, 2021

Advanced Pain Care advocates the appropriate and effective management of chronic pain through a multi-disciplinary approach. Our doctors consist of Board-Certified Pain Management Specialists, Rheumatologists, Orthopedic Surgeons, Neurosurgeons and Addiction Medicine Specialists. APC offers various treatment options including prescription drugs, targeted nerve injections and a non-narcotic neurostimulator. We accept most insurances, workers compensation, and letters of protection.

Courtney Martel-Smithey, Physician Liaison 3500 Hillcrest Dr. #1 Waco, TX 76708 (254) 741-6641 AustinPainDoctor.com 58 | SUMMER 2021

Posh & Co Nail Lounge Ribbon Cutting on April 1, 2021

Posh & Co. is the premiere upscale full-service Nail Salon & Spa where you are pampered with the latest trends and techniques in the beauty industry from a team you can trust.

Jessica Doan, Owner 315 S. University Parks Dr., Ste. 140 Waco, TX 76701 (254) 300-5757

SPONSORED BY

Topgolf

Ribbon Cutting on April 23, 2021

Pet Supplies Plus

Ribbon Cutting on May 6, 2021

Welcome to Topgolf – the premier entertainment destination in Waco. By entertainment destination, we’re talking about a place where you can come for birthday parties, bachelor or bachelorette parties, corporate events, date nights, or just a night out with friends, and everyone will have a great time. No matter the occasion or who you share it with, we believe that every great time starts with play, is fueled by food and drinks, moved by music and all made possible through community.

Pet Supplies Plus is your locally owned and operated pet store carrying a wide variety of natural and non-natural pet foods for any pet. From dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, fish and even reptiles we provide all the necessities for your furry, feathered, or scaly friend. We also offer live fish, small animals, birds, and reptiles. In addition to a ton of great products, we offer fullservice grooming and Self-Service Dog Wash. We also offer free same-day delivery and curbside pickup.

Marisa Gilliam, General Manager 2301 Creekview Dr. Waco, TX 76711 (254) 379-9210 Topgolf.com/Waco

Ashley Shultz, General Manager 203 Hewitt Dr. Waco, TX 76712 (903) 520-5216 PetSuppliesPlus.com

Chiota Aviation

Ribbon Cutting on May 13, 2021

I Heart Hair Salon & Day Spa Ribbon Cutting on May 18, 2021

Chiota Aviation is a FAR Part 61 flight school, providing pilot training to students and working professionals alike. Whether you’re seeking a license to fly for pleasure, business or pursuing a career as a professional pilot, we have highly experienced flight instructors to help you accomplish your goals. Additionally, we provide Aircraft Management, Pilot Services, Flight Reviews, Instrument Proficiency Checks, Check-Rides and Spin Awareness Training. We are here to meet all your flight training needs, with the added bonus of an in-house Designated Pilot Examiner.

I Heart Hair Salon & Day Spa is located right in the Heart of Texas, a few blocks from Magnolia on Bosque Boulevard, where you will always be greeted with a smile. Our professional stylists offer the latest techniques in hair coloring and styling, including balayage, ombre, haircuts, perms, and more. The Day Spa provides a variety of services to heal the body, mind and spirit with relaxing massages such as Swedish, deep tissue and custom body work, as well as full nail service, facials like dermaplane, LED therapy, men’s facials, and more.

Felix Chiota, Owner 7909 Karl May Dr. Waco, TX 76708 (254) 855-3424 ChiotaAviation.com

Cynthia Lopez, Managing Member 3301 Bosque Blvd. Waco, TX 76707 (254) 235-5959 IHeartHairSalonDaySpa.com WACOCHAMBER.COM

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RIBBON CUTTINGS

Care Net Pregnancy Center Ribbon Cutting on May 18, 2021

Care Net Pregnancy Center is a community nonprofit offering a complexity of services to women and men facing a crisis pregnancy decision. We accomplish this through medical and individualized care to equip both to make a confident decision about their future and then guide and support them toward independence.

Debbie Dennis, Business Manager 7110 Sanger Ave. Waco, TX 76712 (254) 772-8270 PregnancyCare.org

Crumbl Cookies

Ribbon Cutting on May 26, 2021

We are excited to be a part of Waco and bring the world’s best cookies to Central Texas. Crumbl Cookies has a weekly rotating menu where you can try our traditional flavors as well as our new, fun flavors. We mix, bake and prepare all our cookies in our open kitchen where all can see. Cookies can be purchased in store, online, on our mobile app or delivered fresh to your door.

Suzanne Hansen, Owner 2444 W. Loop 340 #A14 Waco, TX 76711 (254) 265-7278 CrumblCookies.com/Waco

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SPONSORED BY

The BASE at Extraco Events Center Ribbon Cutting on May 20, 2021

The Extraco Events Center, home of the Heart Of Texas Fair & Rodeo, is the center of entertainment in Central Texas. Its mission to produce events for education, entertainment and agricultural experiences while giving back through youth scholarships has had a positive outcome for Central Texans.

The premier facilities host over 225 events annually, with over 420,000 attendees and a $47 million economic impact.

Jason Elliot, VP Sports & Entertainment 4601 Bosque Blvd. Waco, TX 76710 (254) 776-1660 ExtracoEventsCenter.com

Johnson Roofing

Ribbon Cutting on June 3, 2021

Johnson Roofing’s 80th anniversary began with the opening of its third regional office in San Antonio. The North Texas Regional office, which opened in 2019, is going strong. And work in Central Texas continues to experience exponential growth. Projects span from South Texas to Oklahoma along the I-35 corridor. Johnson Roofing is one of the largest roofing contractors in Texas. Christian values and excellence remain the foundation of the company.

Sherri Johnson McDonald, President 574 Youngblood Rd. Robinson, TX 76706 (254) 662-5571 JohnsonRoofing.biz

FRIDAY

Oct. 22,2021 4 to 7 p.m.

Freedom Fountain Waco Convention Center FIND YOUR

PEEPS MAKE SOCIAL CONNECTIONS

FIND YOUR

C A REER GET PLUGGED IN WITH LOCAL EMPLOYERS

FIND YOUR

SPACE EXPLORE LIVING OPPORTUNITIES

FIND YOUR

FLAVOR TASTE THE UNIQUE "FLAVORS" OF WACO

A “can’t miss it” community event

For more information please visit wacochamber.com/findyourwaco or contact jbranch@wacochamber.com or 254.757.5625 WACOCHAMBER.COM

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NEW MEMBERS Bosque River Physical Therapy A H2 Health Company 1200 Richland Dr., Ste. G Waco, TX 76710 (254) 772-0118 H2Health.com Centex Used Restaurant Equipment 2215 Franklin Ave. Waco, TX 76701 (254) 424-9181 WacoBuySell.com Chisos Trail Inc DBA Little Guys Movers Waco 137 Rancho Lorena Dr. Lorena, TX 76655 (817) 896-7681 LittleGuys.com/Waco Chufani Group Circuito Palma Cocotera 2020 Frac. Palmares I Queretaro Queretaro 76127 +52 442 1031520 Chufani.com Crumbl Cookies 2444 W. Loop 340 #A15 Waco, TX 76711 (254) 265-7278 CrumblCookies.com/Waco Darden Commercial Flooring 200 Otis Dr. Waco, TX 76712 (254) 772-3450 DardenCommercialFlooring.com Diebolt Construction 815 Lake Air Dr. Waco, TX 76710 (866) 343-2658 DieboltConstructionWaco.com E Double H RV Park at Waco Lake 2144 McLaughlin Rd. Waco, TX 76712 (254) 394-2453 EDoubleHRV.com Erin B. Shank, P.C and The Inn on Austin Avenue 1902 Austin Ave. Waco, TX 76701 (254) 296-1161 CentralTexasBankruptcy.com Firewater Liquor 6500 Woodway Dr., Ste. 109 Waco, TX 76712 (254) 339-1330 facebook.com/FireWaterLiquorStore Foamtec International LLC. 720 Venture Dr. Waco, TX 76712 (760) 546-9067 FoamtecIntlwcc.com

62 | SUMMER 2021

PRESENTED BY Guess Family Barbecue, LLC 2803 Franklin Ave. Waco, TX 76710 (254) 313-3436 GuessFamilyBBQ.com

Rush Cycle - Waco 1224 Austin Ave., Ste. 260 Waco, TX 76701 (254) 732-3883 RushCycle.com/Waco

Jared Tseng Photography (254) 304-9392 JaredTseng.com

Sculpted by Glo 5201 Sanger Ave., Ste.H Waco, TX 76710 (254) 652-9111 instagram.com/Sculpted_ByGlo/

Leap Development 400 Austin Ave., Ste. 300 Waco, TX 76701 (503) 756-9357 Leap-Development.com Lighthouse IT 4212 S. 5th St. Temple, TX 76502 (254) 774-9035 LighthouseIT.us My Labs Direct 610 Coit Rd., Ste. 200 Plano, TX 75075 (817) 542-3442 MyLabsDirect.com North Hill Promotions P.O. Box 23685 Waco, TX 76702 (254) 709-7771 NorthHillPromotions.com OccMed Express 2410 Wycon Dr., Ste. 104 Waco, TX 76712 (254) 224-6755 OccMedExpress.com Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom 4641 S Jack Kultgen Expy.

Waco, TX 76706 (254) 327-2100 OldChicago.com/locations/waco One Day Bar 618 Columbus Ave. Waco, TX 76701 (254) 722-3912 OneDayBar.com Outback Steakhouse 4500 Franklin Ave. Waco, TX 76710 (254) 772-5449 locations.outback.com/texas/ waco/4500-franklin-avenue Pivovar 320 S. 8th St. Waco, TX 76701 facebook.com/PivovarWaco-191671531737192/ Posh & Co Nail Lounge 315 S. University Parks Dr., Ste. 140 Waco, TX 76701 (254) 300-5757

Shipsters 10412 China Spring, Ste. S China Spring, TX 76708 (214) 960-9732 Shipsters.co Smash My Trash PO Box 19157 Sugar Land, TX 77496 (254) 300-1611 SmashMyTrash.com/tx/waco-temple/ Spinnaker Franchise Services, LLC. 600 Columbus Ave., Ste. 106 Waco, TX 76701 (901) 331-4812 SpinFran.com Topgolf 2301 Creekview Dr. Waco, TX 76711 (254) 379-9210 Topgolf.com/Waco Twisted Root Burger Co. 801 S. 2nd St. Waco, TX 76706 (972) 388-5422 TwistedRootBurgerCo.com Board of Advisor Bronze Venakor, LLC 12431 Wortham Bend Rd. Waco, TX 76708 (254) 836-1564 Venakor.com Welcome Group, LLC 5858 Westheimer Rd., Ste. 800 Houston, TX 77057 (713) 952-7000 WelcomeGroup.com

SEE THE FULL MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY AT ISSUU.COM/WACOCHAMBER

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 30 Waco, Texas P.O. Box 1220 Waco TX 76703-1220