The Temple Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the 2025 Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet, set for Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at the Hilton Garden Inn Temple.
 
This annual event brings together community leaders, program alumni, and the graduating class for a celebration of leadership and service. Originally established by a Class of 2018 Action Team project, the banquet continues to enhance alumni engagement while spotlighting the ongoing impact of the Leadership Temple program.
 
A highlight of the 2025 banquet will be the presentation of the Leadership Temple Distinguished Alumni Award to Jon Burrows, a graduate of the Leadership Temple Class of 1989. Burrows served five terms as Bell County Judge, retiring in 2018. He is a distinguished public servant whose legacy spans decades of civic, legal, and military service.
 
The banquet will also recognize the Leadership Temple Class of 2025 as they complete their ten-month journey in community leadership. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the class Action Team project and connect with both seasoned and emerging leaders.
 
Proceeds from the event benefit the Leadership Temple Tuition Assistance Scholarship, an initiative aimed at promoting inclusivity by enabling small business and nonprofit leaders to participate in the program. This ensures the continued cultivation of a diverse and representative cohort of future leaders.
 
Looking back on the 2024 Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet that celebrated the accomplishments of the Class of 2024, led by Class President David Shine, Shine Richardson Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, and Curriculum Chair, Tanner Johnson of Central National Bank. The graduates presented their Action Team project, an impactful collaboration with Feed My Sheep and its initiative Elizabeth Farm.
 
Working alongside Feed My Sheep, the class supported the development of Elizabeth Farm in East Temple, a space focused on food access and transitional support. Their contributions included installing a greenhouse, covering an eighty-foot grow house, donating fruit trees and topsoil, and contributing a production plan to support long-term sustainability. The class also helped place a tiny home on the property, offering housing for an individual exiting homelessness.
 
The 2024 Banquet also honored David Nix, Leadership Temple Class of 1988, as the Distinguished Alumni, recognizing his lasting contributions to Temple’s economic and civic development.
 
The Temple Chamber encourages individuals interested in community leadership and professional development to attend the banquet for a glimpse of the program’s impact and opportunities for involvement.
 
The 2025 Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet is sponsored by: the City of Temple, McLane Group, Extraco Banks, Johnson Brothers Ford Lincoln, and KPA Engineers.
 
For more information about the Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet and registration, click here.

Whitney Theriot, Temple Chamber of Commerce President/CEO

As the first quarter of 2025 wraps up, I want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible momentum we’ve built and express gratitude to our Board of Directors, Chamber Members, Chamber Team, and the greater Temple community.
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If 2024 was a year of resilience and alignment, 2025 has roared into action—with focus, purpose, and impact. Over the past three months, we have moved from planning to execution, bringing our bold vision to life through strategic initiatives, strong partnerships, and meaningful engagement.

Quarter One Wins
In just the first quarter, we have:
• Welcomed 31 new Members, continuing the growth of our network of over 1,000 businesses and organizations.
• Celebrated 17 Ribbon Cuttings and Business Milestones, each one a meaningful celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit that defines Temple.
• Hosted Salute to Business, our 118th Annual Meeting—a signature event of the organization
featuring keynote speaker and documentary film maker Brett Culp, whose inspiring message of leadership and storytelling set the tone for the year ahead.
• Held a successful Temple Chamber Day at the Capitol, where we amplified our voice on critical issues for our business community, bringing together our Board of Directors, Public Policy Council, and Leadership Temple Class to constitute our delegation.
• Hosted the well-attended State of the City Luncheon, where Mayor Tim Davis and City
Manager Brynn Myers shared a compelling vision for “Growth with Purpose.”

From Vision to Action
We began the year with clarity—redefining our strategic framework with three verticals: Advocacy, Member Services, and Organizational Excellence. Each initiative we undertake now aligns with these core areas, ensuring that our efforts are intentional and impactful.
• Under Advocacy, we advanced with strong participation with the delegation at the Capitol,
a Public Policy Council luncheon, and advocacy efforts at the local level—most recently championing Member concerns regarding commercial roll-off dumpsters at City Council meetings.
• In Member Services, we introduced fresh engagement tools at our first six Business Link
Lunches and Business After Hours, including interactive games like a “conversation beach
ball” and a Veteran owned business showcase. Additionally, our Membership Directory in print and online continues to serve as a vital connector.
• Under Organizational Excellence, we’ve begun executing key aspects of our strategic plan--
including the initial development of a dashboard to enhance transparency and accountability for our Board of Directors and Membership, along with continued efforts to align governance with our long term vision.

Investing in Leadership and Legacy
Our commitment to community building and leadership development remains strong. The Board of Directors green lit the Leadership Temple Spring Project, opened applications for the Class of 2026, and continued recruitment for the Launch Temple entrepreneur program. We also celebrated legacy by establishing memorial contributions to honor past Chamber leaders.

Looking Ahead
The second quarter brings even more opportunities to connect, collaborate, and lead. We’re excited to support upcoming networking programs, educational partnerships, and enhanced storytelling to highlight the incredible businesses that shape Temple.

To our Members—thank you for your trust, partnership, and continued engagement. Your success is our mission, and together, we are building a resilient, connected, and thriving business community.

Here’s to continued momentum and bold progress in 2025!

Published first in the April 2025 Focus on Business - Temple Daily Telegram

​The Temple business community recently gathered to elevate their social media skills with a Half-Day Digital Bootcamp, held on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, at the Hilton Garden Inn – Temple. Organized under the Small Business Connect initiative by the Temple Chamber of Commerce, the event aimed to empower small business owners with social media strategies for Facebook and Instagram.
 
The seminar began promptly at 8:00 am with a warm breakfast, setting the stage for a day filled with insightful learning and networking. Attendees received printed materials to guide them through the half-day sessions, ensuring they had the necessary resources to make the most of the training.
 
Amanda Robinson, Founder & CEO of The Digital Gal Inc. and a Meta Certified Lead Trainer, flew in from British Columbia, Canada, to lead the boot camp with her extensive knowledge and engaging presentation style. The first session, titled Creative Optimization for Facebook and Instagram, provided a deep dive into crafting and optimizing engaging content for these platforms. Amanda shared best practices for content creation and demonstrated how to use the Meta Business Suite to test and iterate performance. Attendees left this session with an understanding of how to identify tools and creative formats that build a strong community on Facebook and Instagram, as well as strategies for increasing business awareness through posts, Stories, Reels, and Live videos.
 
After a brief intermission, the second session, Instagram Deep Dive: Designing and Optimizing Your Instagram, delved into the creative features of the platform. Amanda revealed innovative techniques for engaging audiences through impactful posts, Stories, and Reels. Participants learned how to create visually appealing content that aligns with their brand identity and target audience, develop effective caption-writing techniques, and incorporate their brand tone of voice into their Instagram content.
 
The seminar was not only a learning experience but also an opportunity for local business owners to network and share best practices. The hands-on approach and real-world examples provided by Amanda Robinson made the sessions impactful, equipping attendees with actionable insights to enhance their social media strategies.
 
As part of the Small Business Connect initiative, launched in 2023 by the Temple Chamber of Commerce, this boot camp exemplified its mission to resource small business owners with expert training to accelerate and enhance their businesses. The positive feedback from participants underscored the event’s success and the value of the knowledge gained.
 
This half-day digital boot camp was graciously provided by Meta and supported by the 2024 Small Business Connect sponsors--Extraco Banks, Hilton Garden Inn-Temple, Ludwick, Montgomery & Stapp, P.C., and McLane Intelligent Solutions. The Chamber looks forward to continuing its support of local businesses through more events and training sessions under the Small Business Connect initiative.
 
For those who missed the event, stay tuned to the Temple Chamber Facebook page and website, www.templechamber.com, for future opportunities to participate in these transformative events designed to take your business to the next level.