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Chamber names its people of the year
Shane Zenner serves as an investment broker. Lauri Erickson makes her living as an accountant. While their careers tend to take them in different directions, the countless hours they invest outside of work brings them together to help make Mountain Home a better place to live.
On Saturday evening, representatives from the community applauded their efforts by selecting them as Mountain Home's man and woman of the year.
Honored during the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce's Installation Banquet, Zenner and Erickson joined the nearly 40 other individuals that have earned the distinction since 1993.
In addition, the chamber presented its lifetime achievement award to two other individuals for their long-lasting commitment to the community. In addition to accepting the award, Gisela Light also received it in honor of her husband, Bud, who passed away in August. Saturday marked the first time the chamber had posthumously presented this honor.
In his opening comments at the banquet, incoming chamber president Robby Robinson admitted that he's ready to accept the challenges associated with his new role. He emphasized that his goal is to help businesses here cope with the economic times that continue to affect cities like Mountain Home.
"Today's tough economic conditions dictate that we all must think outside the box if we are to survive as small business owners," Robinson said. He emphasized that outlets like a membership in the Mountain Home Chamber of Commerce "is a great way to meet new contacts and gain exposure to your business."
Robinson added that the chamber's networking events, business promotions on its Web site and its newsletter as some of the avenues to help owners promote their shops and stores.
Meanwhile, Robinson urged those gathered that evening to take the "shop local" initiative to heart.
"There are a lot of nice, family owned small businesses here in our community," the chamber president said. "Too often, I think people travel to Boise or elsewhere for their shopping needs when those same goods and services are offered right here."
Saturday's banquet came as the city sees signs of optimism in terms of business growth, according to Mayor Tom Rist.
"We have great things ahead of us with the worst times behind us," the mayor said.
Three large-scale businesses are currently considering whether to come to Mountain Home, he added. One of these firms is "definitely looking" at coming to Mountain Home with city officials hoping to hear from the other two within a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, the commander of the 366th Fighter Wing at nearby Mountain Home Air Force Base offered his personal thanks for the community's "truly outstanding support" of the nearly 5,000 military members stationed here.
Col. Ron Buckley, who took command of the Gunfighters in 2010, said it's this unparalleled support that allows the fighter wing to focus on their wartime mission as they deploy around the world. In his comments, the colonel highlighted the 389th Fighter Squadron's recent deployment to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. During a six-month period, these men and women flew close-air support missions to protect U.S. forces in the region.
"The soldiers on the ground were able to safely come home because of our Gunfighters," the colonel said.
Following dinner, the evening's agenda changed direction to focus on recognizing the chamber's man and woman of the year. As in year's past, the names of each winner remained under wraps until the formal presentation.
In his comments leading up to the man of the year announcement, last year's recipient Ray Liercke considered Zenner's selection "an obvious choice." Actively involved in the Mountain Home community the past 10 years, Zenner joined the chamber in 2002. He went on to serve on its board of directors during four of those years, including time as its president.
"But his true passion lies in his involvement with Mountain Home Air Force Base," Liercke added. Over the past 10 years, Zenner has remained a key member of the local military affairs committee, where he currently serves as its president.
"Mountain Home is always close to my heart," Zenner said as he accepted his award. "When I moved here, I knew this was the place where I wanted to start a family and start a career."
Zenner went on to thank those in the community who placed their trust in his leadership abilities.
As she started to introduce the chamber's woman of the year, Vicki Bermensolo highlighted Erickson's commitment to not only make Mountain Home her permanent home but to also make it a better place for others living here.
"She has always had a self-professed addiction to volunteering," Bermensolo said in her opening remarks. In addition to her work with the enlisted spouses club at the nearby base, Erickson then joined the chamber as its community activities director before she headed the organization's Giving Tree program.
"Truly passionate about the things she does, Erickson has truly touched the lives of many people in this community," Bermensolo added.
"I've never felt like such a part of community than I do in Mountain Home," Erickson said as she choked back tears while she accepted her award.
The evening's awards culminated with the chamber's lifetime achievement award. Reading the citation, Karla Post honored Bud and Gisela Light's lifetime devotion of giving to those in the community.
"For over the last at least 25 years, Bud and Gisela have in some way given a part of themselves for the betterment of our community," Post said. Together, they touched many lives of those that consider this city their home.
"We all miss Bud and wish that we could have acknowledged him sooner for the service he gave to the community," she added.
In addition to his work in the Mountain Home School District, first as a teacher and later as the district superintendent, Bud Light remained highly active in other aspects of the community, she said. Along with being a volunteer fireman and youth sports coach, he was also a member of the local Lions Club, Elks Lodge and Optimist Club.
"My husband loved this community and lived life to the fullest every day," Gisela Light said.
But it was his support of the local military community that earned him national recognition, Post added. He received a request from the Department of Defense to serve on a national committee designed to help communities facing economic consequences of potential base closures.
Meanwhile, Gisela Light shares a deep concern for the elderly and others in need, Post added. For example, she led efforts to build food baskets for the less fortunate in time for the holidays and organized gift drives to benefit senior citizens who don't have families here.
Today, she remains equally active in other aspects of the community, including her years of service with the city's planning and zoning commission, the military affairs committee as well as serving as the director of the Boise and Elmore Community Housing Resource Board.
"Gisela's life is an example of caring and doing for others, keeping the public informed and seeing that things are just and honorable," Post added. "Her no-nonsense, common sense approach is refreshing."
Unable to hold back her tears of gratitude, Gisela simply admitted that she truly loves this community, and there is nothing out there that would ever convince her to leave.