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Chamber names Man, Woman of the year
Volunteer John Gross and outgoing president Deb Swearingen were named the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce Man and Woman of the Year, respectively, during Saturday night's annual Chamber installation banquet.
The banquet had a "new car" smell to it as it was held at Mountain Home Auto Ranch, where owner Todd McCurry had cleared out the cars from his showroom display to provide space for the banquet, which drew more than 200 attendees to the gala semi-formal affair.
McCurry had closed his business down for the day and joked that "we had to turn away the line of customers lined up in the street waiting to pay sticker prices." His joke on the poor economy overshadowed much of the evening's festivities, however, as discussions of the need to pull together to survive the economic downturn marked many of the speeches and dinner conversation for the night.
Mayor Tom Rist told the crowd that "we are all feeling hard times and feeling fear and anxiety. But in hard times, we come together... circle the wagons" and work together.
"We will come out stronger" on the other side of the recession, he predicted.
The mayor noted that he had ordered his city department heads to buy locally, "even if the price is higher.
"We recognize we (the city) need to support them, if we expect them to support us."
He also noted the generosity of the community, and in particular the businesses that contribute their resources to community projects.
"You," he said to the assembled business leaders of he community, "are one of the reasons it is a privilege to live here.
Together, he said, "we will get through this and come out of the other side strong."
The main purpose of the banquet was to install the new chamber officers for the coming year.
Linda Ketterling took the oath as the new Chamber's president, replacing outgoing president Deb Swearingen. Lisa Harvel will serve as the new vice president of the Chamber.
In her outgoing remarks, Swearingen told the Chamber members that it "has been a privilege to represent you this year," and noted that the job had kept her busy. "There wasn't a day this year I haven't dealt with some form of Chamber business," but, she said, "I've enjoyed almost all of it."
She thanked those merchants who allow their employees time to volunteer and support the community, and the city for its efforts to help the business community.
She also praised the men and women of Mountain Home AFB "who are such a big part of our community. We are so proud to call you our neighbors and friends," and gave a special thanks to Alison Browne, wife of 366th Wing Commander Col. James Browne, for helping organize base personnel tours of the local business community. "It's a very good marketing tool," she said.
"I thank all of you," she told the crowd, "for making Mountain Home such a wonderful place to live and play. It's been a great year."
In taking over the reins of the Chamber, Ketterling promised that "I will do my best and try and represent you well." And she urged all the Chamber members to volunteer, "just one or two days out of 365 days in the year" in order to work for the improvement of the Chamber and the community.
Col. Browne, who will soon be moving on to the Pentagon from his job leading the Gunfighters at Mountain Home AFB, told the crowd "it was a great year to be a Gunfighter," pointing to the success of last year's Operational Readiness Inspection, the Gunfighter Skies 2008 airshow, and the wings deployment, and often redeployment, of thousands of Gunfighters to the Global War on Terror.
Speaking to the Chamber and the community he noted that "I can't thank you enough for all that you do for the base.
"Alison and I have been in the Air Force for 22 years and in no (other) place has the community support been so outstanding. You really are true patriots."
The highlight of the evening was the announcement of the 2008 Man and Woman of the Year from the Chamber membership. The honorees, who were not informed in advance, were introduced by last year's winners.
Paula Riggs jokingly described this year's Woman of the Year, Deb Swearingen, as a woman who "came to Mountain Home over two decades ago through the witness protection program, and lucky for all of us, she decided to stay."
After crediting Swearingen with several other fanciful accomplishments, Riggs grew serious, noting that Swearingen "has been extremely involved in our community and is always willing to volunteer."
Swearingen's extensive community involvement, from being a member of the Chamber's Military Affairs Committee to past president of the Ladies Golf Association, a member of the Lions Club and the Zeta B sorority, and an officer in the Elmore County Domestic Violence Association, among other involvement.
"During her term has president she has been involved in numerous events, fundraisers, ribbon cuttings and has been a strong supporter of our local businesses by being and advocate of shopping locally."
An employee of Met Life Home Loans, she is the wife of the city's economic development director, Ron Swearingen, who is a former winner of the Chamber's Man of the Year award.
Jerry Rost introduced this year's Man of the Year, John Gross, owner of Mountain Valley Plumbing, and the wife of Sue Gross, who also works in the city economic development office and is a former recipient of the Woman of Year Award.
Rost described Gross as "not as famous or infamous as Joe the Plumber," but rather as a man who works behind the scenes, "quietly doing his part" as a Chamber volunteer. He noted that Gross has "helped with many projects with the Chamber, MAC, the Merchant's Committee, AFAD, the tourism committee, DIG-IT and airshow functions over the years.
"Hanging from ladders or bucket trucks, washing AFAD pots and pans, digging in the dirt, snaking toilets, our Man of the Year can fulfill the task," he said.
"Some projects he has worked with all chiefs, some with no chiefs, and in his quiet way he steers everyone toward the goal.
"His goal is that favorite saying, 'Git'er done'."
But Rost wasn't all serious, taking the opportunity to roast Gross "for his love of duct tape," to resolve all issues, including medical ones.
Gross served 20 years in the Air Force before retiring, then enrolled at BSU and eventually became a plumbing contractor.
Part of the charm of the annual Chamber banquets are the gaily decorated tables sponsored by various businesses. Last year, because of the loss from fire of the Elk's Club, where the banquets usually had been held, the Chamber had to hold its banquet at the American Legion Hall, where there wasn't enough room for the decorated tables.
This year, table sponsors seemed to make up for that lapse, with a number of innovative themes as they competed for plaque prizes.
The "Most Fun" table honor went to Miracle and Associates. The "Best Representation of a Business" award was presented to TLK dairy. The "Most Beautiful Table" plaque was presented to Moxie Java, and Idaho Independent Bank won the award for "Best Overall Table." A total of 21 businesses sponsored tables for the evening.
Besides Ketterling and Harvel, the new Chamber Board of Directors and committee chairmen for 2009 are:
Board members Barb Fogleman, Jay Phillips, Connie McKusker, Mike O'Neil and Rich Sykes; Agribusiness Committee Chairman Mir Seyedbagheri, Air Force Appreciation Day Committee Chairman Randy Valley, DIT-It Committee Chairman Sue Gross and Donna Herron, Military Affairs Committee Chairman John Marshall, Retail Merchants Committee Chairman Katie Dale, Silver Wings Committee Chairman Alan Bermensolo, and Travel and Tourism Committee Chairman Denis Barresi.
Debbie Shoemaker serves as the Chamber's executive director, Dorothy Hinton as its administrative assistant, and Jennifer Epis as its bookkeeper.
Following the banquet the area was cleared for dancing through the rest of the evening to the music of Third Take.