Gustaphson, Fogelman named as Man, Woman of the Year

Steve Gustaphson and Barb Fogelman were honored as the Man and Woman of the Year.

Steve Gustaphson and Barbara Fogelman were honored as the Chamber's Man and Woman of the year, while Dean and Deanna Wilson were presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award during Saturday's annual Chamber of Commerce Installation Banquet.

Held at the Elk's Lodge, the semi-formal banquet featured 22 gaily decorated tables sponsored by local businesses all competing for the title of best table. B Transfer won the award for Most Fun Table, Century 21 won the Most Beautiful Table honor, The Elmore County Agribusiness Coalition won for Best Presentation of a Business, and the Best Overall award went to Idaho Independent Bank.

The banquet also featured the swearing in of Albert Clement as the new Chamber president, replacing outgoing president Mary Miracle.

Fourth District Judge Mike Wetherell also swore in executive board members Roger Fogelman, Fred Foster, Jeanette Gardiner, Becky Garvey and Linda Ketterling.

Alain Isaac and Toni Noland were new committee chairs announced at the banquet. Isaac will head the Chamber's Military Affairs Committee, succeeding Terry Turner, while Noland will succeed Gustaphson as head of the Retail Merchant's Committee. Returning committee heads included Mir Seyedbagheri (Agribusiness), Randy Valley (Air Force Appreciation Day), Sue Gross and Donna Herron (DIG-IT), Ron Swearingen (Economic Development), and Alan Bermensolo (Silver Wings).

The Man and Woman of the Year Awards were presented by last year's winners.

Billy Richey, who said he had "enjoyed my year," noted that Gustaphson had spent the early years of his life in the Air Force, specializing in avionics systems. In 1968, while stationed in Holland, he met and later married his wife, Hedda. Married for 37 years, the couple have two children and four grandchildren.

Stationed throughout the world, the couple eventually wound up at Mountain Home AFB, where Gustaphson retired. "They moved to Tipanuk, until it got too crowded," Richey said of the couple, then built a house in the hills and later moved closer to town. Originally he worked at Performance Chevrolet before opening Hedda's Gifts in downtown Mountain Home.

He quickly became active in the Chamber and in 2005 and 2006 served as chairman of the Retail Merchant's Committee, during which time he launched such projects as the Arts After Five program and the Holiday Parade of Lights.

In accepting the award, Gustaphson contended that he could not have accomplished all he did without the support of the chamber membership, the city, and others who gave him their full support, and told those attending the banquet that he could not have accomplished anything without the support of his "partner in life, my wife, Hedda."

Denise Barresi, last year's Woman of the Year, described this year's recipient, Barbara Fogelman, as a woman of energy who was always willing "to go the extra mile," when it came to Chamber projects. Having spent most of her life associated with the Air Force, either as an military brat or married to an Air Force member, Fogelman was a strong leader of the Military Affairs Committee, both as its president and vice president, and has taken on a number of other Chamber projects.

Neither recipient knew of the honor in advance, and Fogelman was overwhelmed, offering only a simple "thank you," to the crowd.

In introducing the Wilson's for the Chambers Lifetime Achievement Award, Sue Gross described the couple as "mainstays of the Mountain Home community for over 50 years."

She described their long-time and active involvement in the Chamber, and stressed their constant support of the Air Force. "They have fought for the base every time it became an issue," helping lead and energize the community whenever the base was threatened.

"This community has benefitted from their presence," she said.

Dean Wilson has headed the Military Affairs and Air Force Appreciation Day Committee. In fact, he was one of the longest-serving members of the AFAD committee and was instrumental in shaping the event into the huge celebration that the community enjoys each year.

As a couple, they have been involved in the Chamber, AFAD and working to support the volunteer fire department, among their many activities in the community.

In accepting the award, the usually outspoken Wilson admitted he was uncharacteristically at a loss for words, saying it was "a great honor. Let's keep Mountain Home on the map." He said that he loved Mountain Home, "and always will," and described Mountain Home AFB as "the greatest base in the US."

Outgoing Chamber president Mary Miracle thanked the membership for their support and

"for a wonderful year," saying "it has been a pleasure to be your president."

Her successor, newly selected president Albert Clement, said that "this is an exciting year to live in Mountain Home," with new businesses, including Marathon Cheese, opening, and urged the members to become more involved, especially in the Military Affairs Committee.

Several other speakers offered their thoughts during the banquet.

Mayor Joe B. McNeal told the Chamber that "leadership calls for risk, responsibility and reliability, and in the business community, the Chamber has set that example." He went on to praise Gustaphson for the risk he took in changing the holiday parade to a night event, calling it "a great success."

Seyedbagheri used the occassion to present outgoing county commissioner Mary Egusquiza with a plaque for her support of the agribusiness community. Unable to attend the banquet, Egusquiza's honor was accepted by fellow commissioner Connie Cruser.

Incoming Retail Merchant's Committee chairman Toni Noland also presented Gustaphson with a special plaque thanking him for his service on the committee.

And incoming MAC chairman Alain Isaac praised her predecessor, Terry Turner, for his "dedication and unwavering effort," during his term as MAC chair, and presented him with a plaque.

Col. Anthony Rock, 366th Fighter Wing Commander, also gave a special award to Turner. He noted that when he came here to command the wing, his predecessor, Col. Shugg (now Gen. Shugg), told him that Turner was "a guy you can always count on, who will always make things happen for you," and offered both his professional and personal thanks to Turner for his service on behalf of the base.

Rock also noted that 850 Gunfighters currently are deployed overseas, with 200 returning this Friday from one deployment, and that the support of the community was vital to the success of the wing.

"Everything this community does for our wing makes it easier to go to the sandy place," since deployed troops know that their families will be looked after and supported by the community.

Tom Rist served as emcee for the evening's activities. Music for the dance that followed the dinner, speeches and awards presentations, was provided by Third Take.