Gaining a better understanding of County Government was the objective for the Leadership Temple (LT) Class of 2023 Bell County Day. The group not only got to learn first-hand from several key departments and elected officials within County Government, but they also heard from many of the dedicated employees of the County who are driven by caring for the community.

The first stop of the day was at the Bell County Courthouse, where Bell County Judge David Blackburn and Bell County Commissioner for Precinct 3 Bill Schuman briefed LT about the history of Bell County and their responsibilities, as elected officials, to the public.

A surprising takeaway from the Bell County Commissioners Court meeting was learning how state regulations impact County authority and budgets. The group realized a contrast to a municipal authority that can pass and enforce ordinances and penalize violations, which they heard about in their September session with City Government. The statutes imposed on County Government are often unfunded mandates. One such mandate is to operate and maintain a jail without funding or resources to support it.

The day continued with a briefing and visit with Bell County’s ‘first’-first responders at the 9-1-1 Communications Center. These individuals direct first responders 24/7, 365 days a year, and are available to answer emergency calls caused by bad weather, fires, car accidents, violent crimes, and everything in between. They are highly trained and play a primary role in maintaining public safety for the residents of Bell County.

“It was evident to me that those working as 9-1-1 call takers are driven by caring for the community through their stressful jobs,” noted Brooke Barron, BGFN and LT Class of 2023 participant. “The hearts and storks on the wall representing their assistance with CPR life saves and delivering babies was extremely touching.”

The day continued with a stop at the Bell County Jail with a briefing and tour by Bell County Sheriff Eddy Lange and members of his team.

The Pandemic had a negative and continuous impact on the operational efficiency and capacity of the County Jail system. This caused the County to resort to drastic measures to house inmates, including at other jail facilities across the state at an average monthly cost of $400,000.

In May 2021, the Bell County Commissioners Court approved the Bell County Jail expansion project. The first phase of construction is now nearing completion, and the LT class had the opportunity to see the new pod that will help alleviate some of the capacity issues.

The afternoon continued with a deep dive into the judicial system with District and County Judges and Attorneys. “I know that I am making a difference in one person’s life, which is enough. Making a difference is important to me,” said Stephanie Newell, First Assistant District Attorney.

The final stop was at the Bell County Clerk’s Office. The Bell County Clerk's office is responsible for recording our county history.
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“What struck me the most was the dedication of the people we encountered, who do difficult and demanding jobs. From the call center to the jail, to the justice center - Bell County employees are dedicated to keeping the community safe,” said Christine Leal, City of Temple and LT Class of 2023 participant.

Learning about the inner workings of the community by “taking a look under
the hood” is crucial in setting a foundation for future and current community
leaders. The Leadership Temple (LT) Class of 2023 had the opportunity to see
how the “well-oiled machine” that is the City of Temple operates on Sep. 13,
2022.

An informative meet and greet with Temple Mayor Tim Davis and City Councilmember
Susan Long started the day. The morning continued with presentations
from several City Leaders - City Manager Brynn Myers, Finance Director
Traci Barnard, and Performance Excellence Director Stacey Hawkins.

The experience, leadership, and details in the presentations highlighted the
time, talent, and energy it takes to run the City of Temple. Most noteworthy
was not the management or the processes but the passion each leader demonstrated
about what they do and how their contributions enable the City to
thrive.

The morning concluded with Parliamentary Procedure 101 and a Mock City
Council meeting led by Deputy City Secretary Liz Caraway and City Attorney
Kathy Davis.

“Even role-playing as Temple Mayor, I gained a greater understanding of how to
lead an effective City Council meeting,” noted Caleb Smith, First United Bank &
Trust and LT Class of 2023 participant.

A tour of Temple Water Treatment Plant (WTP) with WTP Division Director
Colton Migura kicked off the afternoon. The group learned about the process
of drawing surface water from the Leon River, treatment, all the way to the
consumer. They also heard first-hand the role this division plays in providing
adequate water supply to meet current and projected demands. This critical
city infrastructure is another essential function that happens everyday to “keep
the machine running”.

“I was fascinated by the Water Treatment Plant tour, and I have a newfound
appreciation for what all goes into assuring we have safe and clean water,”
remarked Jodi Brazeal, Magnolia Realty Temple-Belton and LT Class of 2023
participant.

To conclude the day, Leadership Temple headed to the Historic Post Office for
presentations from Parks & Recreation Department Assistant Director Chuck
Ramm, Housing & Community Development Director Nancy Glover, and Transform
Temple Director Buford Craig.

“My eyes were opened by the numerous programs our city offers,” commented
Jentry Davis, Temple Area Builders Association and LT Class of 2023 participant.
“There are so many opportunities to serve the community and be able to
make a difference.”
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Leadership Temple left the days event with a greater understanding and appreciation
for all that goes into the “well-oiled machine” that is the City of Temple.

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.