TEMPLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

  • ABOUT
    • STRATEGIC PLAN
    • LEADERSHIP TEMPLE
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS >
      • Board Meetings
    • STAFF
    • CHAMBER AMBASSADORS
    • BLOG
    • CHAMBER NEWSLETTERS & PUBLICATIONS
    • CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS
    • CONTACT
  • COMMUNITY
    • Flood Relief
    • GOVERNMENT >
      • FEDERAL
      • STATE
      • LOCAL
    • Job Bank
    • COUPONS
  • EVENTS
    • 2025 Salute to Business
    • 2025 Summer Seltzer
    • 2025 Golf Classic
    • 2025 Military & First Responders Salute
    • Partnership Events >
      • 2025 State of the City
      • Community Partner Social With AUSA
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Community Calendar
    • Submit An Event
    • Recent Event Photos >
      • 2024 - 40th Military & First Responders Salute
      • 2024 16th Golf Classic
      • 2024 Summer Seltzer
      • 2024 - Baylor Scott & White Showcase
      • 2024 Salute to Business
      • Summer Seltzer 2024 Photos
  • BUSINESS DIRECTORY
  • MEMBERSHIP
    • Member Login
    • New Members
    • Renewing Members
  • ABOUT
    • STRATEGIC PLAN
    • LEADERSHIP TEMPLE
    • BOARD OF DIRECTORS >
      • Board Meetings
    • STAFF
    • CHAMBER AMBASSADORS
    • BLOG
    • CHAMBER NEWSLETTERS & PUBLICATIONS
    • CHAMBER MEMBER NEWS
    • CONTACT
  • COMMUNITY
    • Flood Relief
    • GOVERNMENT >
      • FEDERAL
      • STATE
      • LOCAL
    • Job Bank
    • COUPONS
  • EVENTS
    • 2025 Salute to Business
    • 2025 Summer Seltzer
    • 2025 Golf Classic
    • 2025 Military & First Responders Salute
    • Partnership Events >
      • 2025 State of the City
      • Community Partner Social With AUSA
    • Chamber Calendar
    • Community Calendar
    • Submit An Event
    • Recent Event Photos >
      • 2024 - 40th Military & First Responders Salute
      • 2024 16th Golf Classic
      • 2024 Summer Seltzer
      • 2024 - Baylor Scott & White Showcase
      • 2024 Salute to Business
      • Summer Seltzer 2024 Photos
  • BUSINESS DIRECTORY
  • MEMBERSHIP
    • Member Login
    • New Members
    • Renewing Members

Blog

Leadership Temple to Honor Alumni and Graduates at 2025 Banquet

5/5/2025

0 Comments

 
Picture
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.
0 Comments

Celebrating Leadership Temple Alumni and the Class of 2024

6/7/2024

0 Comments

 
On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, business and community leaders gathered at the Hilton Garden Inn-Temple to celebrate the Leadership Temple Alumni and the Leadership Temple Class of 2024 at the annual Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet.
 
This event, a product of a Class of 2018 Action Team project, aims to enhance the Alumni Association and the future impact of the program. It is an opportunity to network, learn about the current class project, and celebrate the new graduates.
 
Proceeds from the banquet contribute to the Leadership Temple Tuition Assistance Scholarship, designed to promote inclusivity and diversity within the program. This initiative supports small businesses and nonprofits, fostering a more representative community leadership landscape.
Honoring a Distinguished Leader
The highlight of the luncheon was honoring David Nix, a graduate of the Leadership Temple Class of 1988, the charter class of the program. 
 
Leland Gersbach, CPA, Retiring Partner at Brockway, Gersbach, Franklin & Niemeier, and founder of the Leadership Temple program, presented the 2024 Leadership Temple Distinguished Alumni Award to Nix.
 
Nix, a dedicated community leader known for his commitment to economic development and civic engagement, recently retired as President of The David Nix Agency, which he founded in 1993. Under his leadership, the agency, now affiliated with Acrisure, won numerous industry awards for sales, service, and community involvement.
 
His extensive civic contributions include service on the Boards of the Temple Economic Development Corporation, the Temple Chamber of Commerce, the Temple Business League, the Temple Industrial Foundation, the Temple Reinvestment Zone, and the Rotary Club of Temple, among others.
 
“The banquet was a wonderful way to honor a dedicated community leader and alumni of the program, David Nix, and to celebrate the new graduates,” said Whitney Theriot, President of the Temple Chamber of Commerce. “It was encouraging to hear from a pioneering community leader and inspiring to learn about the work in service of the new graduates. Temple has a strong foundation of community leaders who model civic engagement for future generations. Temple’s future is bright with the new and recent graduates of the Leadership Temple program.”
Celebrating the Class of 2024
The eighteen professionals of the Leadership Temple Class of 2024 were celebrated for their dedication to the nine-month program focused on community leadership, professional development, and personal growth.
 
Led by Class President David Shine of Shine Richardson Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors and Curriculum Chair Tanner Johnson of Central National Bank, the 2024 graduates are:
 
Jennifer Avery | Temple Economic Development Corporation
Shane Brooks | Alliance Bank Central Texas
Sydney Cable, MBA | Temple Area Builders Association
Rachel Clemons, LMSW | United Way of Central Texas
William Dabney | BKCW Insurance
Tom Elmore | Workforce Solutions of Central Texas
Mac Fairey | City of Temple - Police Department
Taylor Fitzner, J.D. | Baird, Crews, Schiller & Whitaker, P.C.
Lindsay Francis | City of Temple - Marketing
Ben Hammonds, MBA | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Hudson Kennedy, CPA | Extraco Banks
Chase Kern | Paramount Wastewater Solutions, LLC
Erin Kiella, Ph.D. | Real Property Analytics
Clarissa Martinez | Temple College
Logan McClinton | CentraLand Title Company
Joe Rela | Materials Transportation Co.
Rob Schilling | Walmart Distribution Company #6083
Bobbie Jo Young | Temple Chamber of Commerce
 
Action Team Project: Feed My Sheep Community Farm Collaboration
The Class of 2024 presented their Action Team project, a collaboration with the Feed My Sheep Community Farm, aimed at addressing hunger and homelessness in Temple.
 
The project involved significant contributions to Elizabeth Farm in East Temple, including acquiring a greenhouse, covering an eighty-foot grow house, donating fruit trees and topsoil, and developing a production plan for produce. The class also assisted in the installation of a tiny home on the property, providing housing for a previously homeless individual.
 
Through their efforts, the class has bolstered the farm’s resources, providing the necessary infrastructure for the farm to begin growing fresh fruits and vegetables and providing educational opportunities for Feed My Sheep’s clients. This initiative complements the City’s ongoing Arbor of Hope project, making it a promising long-term investment for the community.
 
“The Temple Chamber leadership is immensely proud of our Leadership Temple program graduates from the Class of 2024,” added Theriot. “Their commitment to professional development and community service embodies the spirit of Leadership Temple.”
 
A Lasting Legacy
The Leadership Temple program continues to cultivate strong community leaders. The contributions of David Nix and the Class of 2024 exemplify the spirit of service and commitment to the growth and prosperity of Temple.
 
Thank you to the 2024 banquet sponsors, including the City of Temple, McLane Group, Extraco Banks, Garcia Architects, Johnson Brothers Ford Lincoln, First United Bank & Trust, Clark Associates, Workforce Solutions of Central Texas, Materials Transportation Company (MTC), and Walmart Distribution Center #6083, who helped make this celebration possible.
 
As the Leadership Temple program moves forward, it continues to build a brighter future for the community, driven by passionate and dedicated leaders.
 
For more information about Leadership Temple, visit www.templechamber.com/leadershiptemple.
0 Comments

Leadership Temple to Celebrate Alumni & Graduates at 2024 Banquet

5/4/2024

0 Comments

 
Picture
The Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet is on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at the Hilton Garden Inn.
 
The banquet is a product of a Class of 2018 Action Team project to enhance the program’s Alumni Association and future impact. In addition to acknowledging a Distinguished Alumni of the program, it is an opportunity to network, learn about the current class project, and celebrate the new graduates of the program.
 
The luncheon includes honoring a Distinguished Alumni of the program. The 2024 honoree is David Nix, a graduate of the Leadership Temple Class of 1988.
 
“We’re excited to celebrate the achievements of alumni and the new graduates,” said Whitney Theriot, President of the Temple Chamber of Commerce. “This banquet not only honors a dedicated community leader like David Nix but also serves as an opportunity for all alumni of the program to connect, learn about the work in service of the current class, and support and celebrate the new graduates - our next generation of community leaders.”
 
The banquet proceeds contribute to the Leadership Temple Tuition Assistance Scholarship, designed to promote inclusivity and diversity within the program. This initiative is a resource for small businesses and nonprofits to participate in Leadership Temple, fostering a more representative community leadership landscape.
 
Reflecting on the 2023 Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet that commemorated the accomplishments of the Class of 2023. Led by Camryn Bintz, KPA Engineers, and David Shine, Shine Richardson Investment Group of Wells Fargo Advisors, the graduates presented their Action Team project and were recognized for their dedication to community leadership and personal growth.
 
The 2023 Class Project focused on connecting the world of work to K-12 education through career exploration through reading. Inspired by the Workforce Solutions of Central Texas Student Occupational Awareness and Recognition Program (SOAR), which aims to expose, educate, and engage students in career development and decision-making for middle and high school students, the 2023 Class saw an opportunity to engage elementary-aged students to think about the world of work sooner.
 
They worked with Temple ISD to identify a STEM book series called The Questioneers. Then they not only read to every second-grade class at the district, but through a grant purchased The Questioneers book sets for every elementary campus library.  
 
“The Temple Chamber leadership is immensely proud of our Leadership Temple program graduates from the Class of 2023,” added Theriot. “Their commitment to professional development and community service embodies the spirit of Leadership Temple.”
 
The event also honored Gary Schmidt as the 2023 Leadership Temple Distinguished Alumni, recognizing his significant contributions to Temple’s economic and civic development.
 
The Temple Chamber encourages individuals interested in community leadership and professional development to attend the banquet, offering a glimpse into the program’s impact and opportunities for involvement.
 
The 2024 Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet is sponsored by:  the City of Temple, McLane Group, Extraco Banks, Garcia Architects, Johnson Brothers Ford Lincoln, and First United Bank & Trust.
 
For more information about the Leadership Temple Alumni & Graduation Banquet and registration, visit www.templechamber.com.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archive

    July 2025
    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020

    Category

    All
    2020 Census
    2024 Tornado
    Baylor Scott & White
    Business Spotlight
    Chamber
    Chamber Ambassadors
    Community
    Community Impact
    COVID-19
    #DowntownTemple
    Entrepreneurship
    #LeadershipTemple
    Live In Temple
    Made In Temple
    Manufacturing
    #MeetTemple
    #MFGDay
    Military
    Nonprofit
    Organizational Excellence
    Pandemic
    Public Policy
    Quality Of Life In Temple
    Shop Local
    Small Business Success
    Spirit Of Santa Fe Trail
    Strategic Plan
    #TempleStrong
    Workforce Development

Copyright Temple Chamber of Commerce.  All Rights Reserved.
201 Santa Fe Way, Suite 105  |  Temple, TX 76501
Phone: 254-773-2105 | sitemap
Hours of Operation:  M-F, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Picture
Chamber Policy:  Distribution of material supporting a political candidate(s) for public office is not allowed at any meeting or event hosted or sponsored by the Temple Chamber of Commerce, unless otherwise noted.