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Every year since 1987, the Temple Chamber of Commerce has asked the Temple area business community to submit candidates for consideration to Leadership Temple. Leadership Temple is a professional development and education program designed to help current and emerging leaders understand the dynamics of the community and the role leadership plays in its long-term success. It is a 10-month program where graduates emerge with an unprecedented level of community awareness as well as insights they can apply in the workplace. The Temple Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Leadership Temple Advisory Council are proud to introduce the Leadership Temple Class of 2023. 2022-23 Class President - Camryn Bintz, CPA, CCIFP
Camryn is an accounting and finance professional who oversees KPA Engineer’s day-to-day accounting, administrative, and marketing operations. She is also a Certified Public Accountant and a Certified Construction Industry Finance Professional, licensed in the State of Texas. She received a Master of Business Administration Degree and a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree in Accounting and Finance from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. 2022-23 Curriculum Chair - David Shine David Shine is a partner and financial advisor at Shine Richardson Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors. He is committed to offering clients a wide array of wealth management services, and holds Series 7 and Series 66 securities registrations, is licensed in 37 states and is licensed in life and health insurance. He is a Baylor University graduate and has experience in politics, banking, new-venture coaching, and construction. David was born and raised in Temple, TX and is focused on serving clients locally and throughout the country. In his free time David and his wife Morgan enjoy spending their time in the outdoors fishing, hunting, and hiking with their Malinois Ivy. Leadership Temple Class of 2022-23 Amanda Alvarado Amanda Alvarado graduated from Waskow High School in Belton, TX. She is employed by First Community Title in marketing. Amanda is the mother of two children, Nolan, and Nathaniel, and resides in Temple, TX where she enjoys spending time with family and friends. Brooke Barron, CPA Brooke is a 2017 graduate of California State University, Fullerton where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting. Brooke began her career with a public accounting firm in Huntington Beach, CA serving clients in areas of audit and assurance, tax consulting and compliance, and accounting services. Brooke joined Brockway, Gersbach, Franklin & Niemeier P.C. as a Senior Accountant in November 2021 and obtained her CPA certification in January 2022. Jodi Brazeal Jodi Brazeal was born and raised in Little River-Academy, TX. She has worked as a Realtor since 1998 and has worked with Magnolia Realty Temple-Belton since 2018. Jodi and her husband JP have been married 24 years and are the parents of two kids, Jenna, a Senior at Tarleton State, and Scout, a Senior at Academy High School. Her favorite pass times are watching her kids compete in athletics, Bible studies, spending time outdoors and with family and friends. Amanda Carlson Amanda joined the Temple Economic Development Corporation as Director of Marketing & Communications in May 2020. Amanda holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Southern Maine. Though she may be from the East Coast she holds Central Texas in her heart after moving here while her husband was stationed at Fort Hood. Now that their time in the Army is complete, she and her husband are putting down roots in Temple and are eager to get involved in making Central Texas a wonderful place to live, work, and play. Jeffrey Clark Jeffrey Clark has worked for the Temple Police Department for 29 years. He has worked many roles from patrol, narcotics, community policing, as a SWAT officer, and is currently a Deputy Chief over the Investigations Bureau. The bureau includes the following units: Detectives, Crime Scene, Crime Victims Assistance, Violent Crimes Enforcement, Crime Analysis, Property & Evidence, Narcotics, Traffic, COPS (Community Oriented Policing), and School Resource units. Kevin Craven, MBA, BSN, RN Kevin has been a registered nurse for 35 years. After serving in the Air Force as a corpsman, he attended the University of Arizona and University of Phoenix obtaining his BSN and MBA. His areas of practice include emergency, flight, and critical care nursing. Administratively, Kevin has had oversight of trauma centers, cardiovascular programs, and wound care services. Currently, he practices as the Director of Nursing of Critical Care Services at Baylor Scott & White – Temple hospital. He lives with his wife in Nolanville, TX and has 6 grown children. Jentry Davis Jentry Davis is from Lubbock, TX and graduated from Baylor University with a bachelor’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Innovation in 2019. She works as the Executive Officer at the Temple Area Builders Association. She and her husband, Caleb, moved to Temple in April 2021 for his residency at Baylor Scott & White Health. They are both excited to have joined the Bell County family. Annette Farmer, JD Annette is an attorney with West, Webb, Allbritton & Gentry, P.C., specializing in estate and business planning. In addition to holding a law degree from Baylor Law School, she holds a master’s degree in Biochemistry from UT Southwestern Medical Center. Since moving to the area in 2010, Annette immediately felt at home. That’s why, when her husband retired from the Army, they built on the roots they established in the area to raise their two sons in the community. Annette enjoys spending time with her family, camping, hiking, and exercising. Tanner Johnson Tanner Johnson was born and raised in Temple, TX. Tanner graduated from Salado High School with honor in 2007 and Texas A&M University with a degree in Finance in 2011. After graduation, he went to work for Goldman Sachs in Dallas as a commercial real estate loan officer until he moved back to Temple to join Central National Bank as a vice president/commercial loan officer. He is happily married to his wife, Brittany Johnson, and has two small girls (Tess: 3 & Thea: 1). Christine Leal, MA Christine serves the City of Temple as the Performance & Analytics Manager in the Department of Performance Excellence. Before joining the City of Temple, Christine served as a Quartermaster Officer in the United States Army, where she became passionate about the ethical stewardship of government funds and assets. Christine has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Texas A&M University, and a Master of Public Affairs degree from the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. Ben Lopez, Jr. Ben Lopez, Jr. is a 24-year veteran of Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, first as a Workforce Specialist, then as a Program Specialist, and most recently the Workforce Center Director in Temple. He has overseen and/or developed multiple programs such as the nationally recognized Welfare To Work program and the Non-Custodial Parent Choices program. A native of Rogers, TX, and currently residing in Belton, Ben is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin; is married to his wife Madonna; and has two children, Zachary (23) and Aly (20). Megan Mondrik, MArch Megan is a Designer & Project Manager for Garcia Architects (Formerly Neal Architectural Group). She is a lifetime member of the Central Texas community, graduating from Academy High School. She joined Neal Architectural Group after graduating with honors from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture. She has since gone on to receive her Master’s Degree in Architecture as part of her pursuit to become a State of Texas Licensed Architect. Megan, her husband and daughter, enjoy spending time outdoors hiking, fishing, and traveling. Cassidy Revis Cassidy currently serves as the Membership Director at Wildflower Country Club in Temple, Texas and has held this position since July of 2021. She is originally from Snyder, Texas. Cassidy attended the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, played on the Women’s Golf Team, and graduated with a B.A. in Sport Management in 2019. After graduating, Cassidy married Temple/Belton native, Kyle Revis and recently celebrated their second anniversary. Cassidy is thrilled to be involved in Leadership Temple and is excited to continue serving our community. Caleb Smith Caleb Smith is a Mortgage Loan Officer at First United Bank. Born and raised in the Belton-Temple area and has made this community his home. He attended Belton Schools and graduated from Texas A&M University (WHOOP!). He and his wife, Breanna, are expecting their first child, a son Bearor, this fall. Caleb’s pass times include fishing, golfing, pickleball, watching sports, and late-night board games. He has a passion for serving this community and is excited to be engaged in Leadership Temple. Bryson Soden, MID Bryson grew up in Canon City, CO, and lived there until he was accepted into Texas A&M. He was in the Corps of Cadets and graduated with a degree in International Studies and commissioned in the Army. Through the Army, he attended many schools including the Explosive Ordnance Disposal School; he was also privileged to travel the world, seeing four countries and seven different duty stations. Eventually, he found his way back to Texas, and after completing a master’s degree, decided to make Texas and Bell County home.
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a national observance held annually since 1949 to raise awareness about mental health conditions and the importance of good mental health for everyone.
According to Mental Health America, one-in-five American adults live with a diagnosable mental health condition. Mental health, defined as emotional, psychological, and social well-being, affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Though we all experience emotional ups and downs, mental health conditions extend beyond these emotional reactions to become something longer lasting. They are diagnosable medical conditions that, like other diseases, are treatable. They are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing. However, many individuals are ashamed to seek help because of misconceptions about mental health. The topic of mental health resonated with the Leadership Temple Class of 2022. During their nine-month program, they saw first-hand how unaddressed mental health issues have led to homelessness, stressed the justice system and emergency departments, and became more aware of the landscape within the business community with employee burnout, distress, and suicide. The group recognized a stigma still surrounds the topic of mental health and wanted to be part of changing the narrative. Engaging the Temple High School Career & Technical Education Video Production students, the group produced a video public service announcement. In the video public service announcement, Mental Health is All Our Concern, the participants were vulnerable about their own mental health struggles, shared the facts surrounding mental health, and provided resources for those in need. “We all have it [mental health]. Why are we so afraid to discuss it?” said Michael Rousell, CPA at Brockway, Gersbach, Franklin & Niemeier, and Leadership Temple Class of 2022 participant during the video public service announcement. Typically when discussing mental health conditions, the language is clinical and impersonal. Though useful for doctors, it is isolating and unrelatable to those experiencing mental health conditions. “The video project by Leadership Temple was a labor of love by the professionals engaged in the program,” expressed Shawn Reynolds, Chief of Police, Temple Police Department, and Leadership Temple Class of 2022 participant. “These professionals further recognized many misconceptions related to mental health and wanted to share personal experiences with mental health conditions and the facts to tackle the stigma associated with mental health.” The video served as the opening to the Central Texas Community Health Summit: Connecting the Dots 5.0 on April 27, 2022, at the Central Texas Council of Governments. The theme of the annual regional summit was Prioritizing Community Mental Health. “Sharing is the key to breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health conditions. It shows others that they are not alone in their feelings or symptoms,” noted Bre’Layshia Alexander, Baylor Scott & White Health and Leadership Temple Class of 2022 participant. “There are people that care and want to help and assist you.” Reach out to the following for support:
In May, the Leadership Temple Class of 2022 participants will complete the Mental Health First Aid Certification through Central Counties Services. This 8-hour training teaches one to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health conditions and substance use disorders. It gives participants the tools to help friends, family, colleagues, and community members experiencing a mental health crisis. The Leadership Temple Class of 2022 participants are Bre’Layshia Alexander, Baylor Scott & White Health; Jake Blair, PE, Kasberg, Patrick & Associates, LP; Alfonzo James, Walmart Distribution Center #6083; Kevin Koonce, Right Sized Inventory; Tyson McLaughlin, Extraco Banks; Nanette Pace, 4 Legs of Love Boarding & Boutique; Shawn Reynolds, City of Temple - Police Department; Michael Rousell, Brockway, Gersbach, Franklin & Niemeier, P.C.; David Shine, Shine Richardson Group of Wells Fargo Advisors; Brian Stokes, Woodward Creative Group; Jordan Valentin, SweetTooth Growth Solutions, LLC; and Branan Walker, Lengefeld Lumber Company. Watch the video public service announcement Mental Health is All Our Concern on the Temple Chamber of Commerce YouTube Channel, www.youtube.com/templetexaschamber, or website www.templechamber.com/mentalhealth.  The Temple Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated the Leadership Temple Class of 2020 with a graduation reception and dinner at the Oscar Store. Like so many aspects of our lives, the Leadership Temple 2019-20 program year was disrupted by COVID-19 in the spring which delayed the in-person celebration of their accomplishments until a safe gathering could be arranged. Leadership Temple, a program of the Temple Chamber of Commerce, is a professional development and education program designed to help current and emerging leaders understand the dynamics of the community and the role leadership plays in its long-term success. Under the 9-month program, participants meet monthly to survey how the community works from an entirely new perspective, helping them grow as leaders and professionals. The curriculum includes carefully selected topics and locations, chosen in an effort to set a foundation of how and why our community operates and interacts with surrounding communities and the state. Participants are also given access to behind-the-scenes opportunities and to community leaders in order to foster dialogue and inspire engagement in activities which contribute to the growth and betterment of the community. Each participant is also assigned to a small group, known as an “Action Team”, that is tasked with working together to formulate, develop, and execute a project to impact and spur positive change in the community. Examples of previous Leadership Temple projects include the Temple Community Clinic, the Bark Park, and Whistle Stop Park. The Action Teams reported on their projects to Chamber and Community leaders through a virtual platform on May 27, 2020. This year’s projects included a Putt-Putt Golf Course Feasibility Study, a Temple Entrepreneurship Program, Foster Love Respite Training, and Transportation Reform. The Putt-Putt Golf Course Feasibility Study sought to determine whether a public Putt-Putt Golf Course would be sustainable in Temple, TX. The Team conducted a community-wide survey, researched existing public courses in similar-sized communities, and is still working on determining initial capital expenses and projected maintenance costs, as well as determining the prime location. The Temple Entrepreneurship Program will help educate, coach, mentor, and equip local small business owners with the tools they need for success and has the potential to catalyze the growth of Temple’s economy. The 8-week series will walk entrepreneurs through some of the most challenging aspects of managing a small business. The series will begin in 2021 and be run through the Chamber. The Foster Love Respite Training project had a two-fold objective to create awareness about the need for Respite providers, and to help make Respite training more affordable in Bell County. Certified Respite providers are the only individuals allowed to “babysit” for parents of foster children in Bell County. The team raised funds to offset the cost of training and hopes to help Foster Love host the training. Additionally, the group has become digital advocates helping Foster Love spread their message as well as the need for Respite providers via social media. The Transportation Reform project discovered businesses, organizations, and community leaders concerned about current transportation services in Temple. They met with and built relationships with these stakeholders in order to facilitate the sharing of information, ideas, key concerns, and potential solutions. The team created a flyer with existing transportation services and is compiling all of the data collected to share with stakeholders. They seek to fill in the gaps in communication for moving towards a solution for better access to transportation/mobility options in order to meet basic community needs. Join us in congratulating the graduates of the 2019-20 program: Tami Annable, Temple Health & Bioscience District; Adelaide (Addie) Baird Earles, Magnolia Realty; Crystal Bell, Pattillo, Brown, & Hill LLP; Camryn Bintz, KPA Engineers; Stephanie Branham, Allumed, Inc.; Crystal Cowen, MRB Group; Justin Dorsey, Extraco Banks; Jennifer Douglass, Digital Cowgirl; Nichole Guajardo, State Farm Insurance; Sandra Haake, DB Commercial Real Estate; Christian Hernandez, Temple Independent School District; Daniel Jones, Brockway, Gersbach, Franklin & Niemeier, PC; Chris McCormack, Central Counties Services; Dana Mitchell, QuVa Pharma; Josh Murray, Canyon Creek Baptist Church; Kyle Revis, The Wood Group of Fairway Mortgage; Linnea Reyes, Central National Bank; Dylan Ripley, Edward Jones Financial Advisor; Michael (Mike) Snell, First Christian Church; and Scott Tarrant, McLane Group.
Andrew Lambert, Wilsonart, served as Class President and Tucker Glaske, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, served as Curriculum Chair for the 2019-2020 program. Graduates emerge from the program with an unprecedented level of community awareness as well as insights they can apply in the workplace. It maintains a strong alumni network and prepares future Temple leaders for community-oriented, decision-making positions. |
