Chamber Mission To serve our members and enhance economic and community developmentChamber VisionTo be recognized as a vital resource, providing relevant, innovative and impactful programming that produces a health business climate and an enhanced quality of life.InsideMember Profile .........................................................................................................................................................................................2Chamber Chat...........................................................................................................................................................................................3Business of the Month ...........................................................................................................................................................................4Ribbon Cuttings .................................................................................................................................................................................8-10New Members ........................................................................................................................................................................................11Vol. 24 | Issue 5 May 2019Industrial Trade Show >> Page 6Young Professionals of the Mainland is an organization for young professionals aged 21 to 40 years in our business community. It was created to engage young professionals in the surrounding areas and pro-vide an opportunity to make business connections and become acquainted with the Texas City-La Marque Cham-ber of Commerce. The value of community involvement is continuously touched upon. Here are the main reasons why joining Young Profession-als of the Mainland can be beneficial to your career:SOCIAL CAPITALSocial capital is the most im-portant currency in business, and members of professional organizations can access it eas-ily and often. There is strength in numbers. By establishing trust with industry leaders and colleagues, you can help each other reach profession-al goals. Going off line and meeting in person gives you the opportunity to congregate with like-minded profession-als, share ideas, build your network and become part of a professional community.LEARNMillennials who join a pro-fessional organization gain ac-cess to educational resources like industry research, news-letters, seminars, courses and events where leading industry thinkers share insight into the latest trends, innovations, technology and best practices. Members further their careers by staying ahead of their com-petitors.BUILD A BETTER RESUME In your college days, may-be you were in a sorority or served as student council president. Now, it can be hard to find those resume-building opportunities. Participating in a young professional’s group can be an impressive addition to your resume. It shows an interest in volunteering and a willingness to take on leader-ship roles in your community. JOB OPPORTUNITIESExperts estimate that 60 to 80 percent of jobs are found through personal relationships. Your freshly formed network can connect you with individ-uals and companies searching for someone with your specific talents. If you’re hiring, you just might make introductions with top candidates when they begin looking for open positions.OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE BACK Young Professionals of the Mainland gives members a chance to give back to their community. There are many charitable organizations such as food banks, animal shelters and more that Young Profes-sionals coordinates with. This gives a young professional many ways to stay active and contribute to the community.STAY INSPIREDNo matter what your pro-fession is, staying inspired to grow and innovate can be difficult when you are in an office for 40 hours every week. Meeting with like-mind-ed young professionals gives you the opportunity to trade ideas, solve problems and get inspiration that will help your career.Get motivated. Whether your goals are to grow your career and build up your network, or to help your community and make new friends, joining these groups can help you stay motivated to reach your personal, professional and community goals.Young Professionals of the Mainland meets for lunch, Benefit yourself and your career, join local organizationSEE PROFESSIONALS » 52 | Chamber Express | May 2019Tell us a little about your background.Texas Select Seasonings started in 1985 with hand-crafted rubs and salsa made by owner Wil-liam Powell, or Wild Bill. The products were for friends and family, but eventually sold at farmers markets and through word of mouth in a truly grassroots start. The company name was registered in Galveston County as Texas Select Seasonings, with the trademarked slogan, “A taste as bold as Texas.” Along the way, several product names were also registered for trademark protection and accepted.How would you summarize what you do?Wild Bill’s is an outdoor living store, featuring Amish-made poly furniture, barbecue grills and the entire line of TSS products. Also, cooking classes and how-to demos on the popular wood pellet grills are offered. Wood pellet grills are as easy to use as gas grills, but they add the flavor of cooking with wood. In late 2019, to-go food, like smoked pork ribs, chicken and pulled pork will be offered as well.How has your business evolved over time?Over the years, TSS products have been entered into two national contests, winning numerous awards as well as becoming favorites for compe-tition cooks across the country. Powell also has competed prior to social media to help promote the brand and build a bigger customer base. The TSS team has been very successful over the years, winning multiple grand championships, reserve grand championships and top ten finishes. Wild Bill’s retail store was opened to expand product sales, building an outdoor living theme around the TSS products. Wild Bill’s current location on Dela-ny Road came post Hurricane Harvey. The store’s contact info is still the same: 409-392-8199 and www.texasselectseasonings.com.What are some of your proudest accomplishments?Texas Select Seasonings is a highly decorated company with both national and international awards. The most recent awards from 2019 include winning first place at the National Barbecue & Grilling Association Kansas City Conference for All Purpose Pork Rub; second place for All Purpose Beef Rub; and third place for Hot Sauce. In 2016, the TSS team also won two different champion-ships, the only team to accomplish both in the same year. Texas Select Seasonings’ chili seasoning was also a two-time national Golden Chili Award recipient. Between the products and the compe-tition team, several hundred awards have been claimed by Wild Bill’s over the past three decades.What are you working on now?Owner Wild Bill is now focused on a cookbook and field-to-table cooking videos for wild game and fresh Gulf seafood.MEMBER PROFILETexas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce members have amazing talents and stories to tell. With this series we want to introduce you to some of our members and spotlight their businesses. If you would like to be spotlighted in our Member Profile, contact Lorrie Koster at lorrie@texascitychamber.com.WILD BILL’S11001 Delany Road, Suite 13009, La Marque409-392-8199 | billypowell@mac.comRepresentative: Billy Powell, ownerChamber Express NewsletterThe publication of the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce is published monthly (second Sunday of the month). Some content and photos provided as a courtesy by The Galveston County Daily News.Editorials & Photos:Lorrie Koster, Texas City- La Marque Chamber of Commerce409-935-1408Advertising:The Galveston County Daily News409-683-5224advertising@galvnews.comTexas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce9702 E.F. Lowry ExpresswayTexas City, Texas 77590409-935-1408www.tclmchamber.comRon AssadGallant BuildersKevin BogardMarathon Petroleum Sally BriggsGulf Greyhound ParkKirk BroilesScribbles Embroidery Aaron CameronAshlandDr. Rodney CavnessTexas City Independent School DistrictJoshua ChapmanChapman Front End & BrakesCraig ColelliFaust DistributingKedge CookCook FordChris DevriesStandard Steel SupplyJames DickinsonKodiak Metals RecyclingShannon DoyleSouth Land Title Pete Dunn Jr.Dunn Heat Exchangers Gail FigueroaAmoco Federal Credit UnionJames HartshornCity of Texas CityJason Hayley Port of Texas CityFelix HerreraAwesome Auto AccessoriesBrook HrachDow ChemicalManny LopezEl Cubano Cigar FactoryJim MacphersonValero RefiningSergio MatuteEastman Chemical – Texas City Inc.Genevieve McGarvey Mcleod, Alexander, Powel & ApffelColleen MerrittLa Marque Economic Development Corp.Georgia MeyerKarat Creations JewelryTripp MontalboHCA Houston Healthcare MainlandSam NavarroApache Industrial ServicesDr. Warren NicholsCollege of the MainlandRay NunezTaylor & HillPerry O’BrienDomac Inc.Philip OrangeTeam Mancuso Power SportsRusty PlackemeierLyons & PlackemeierKitty PotterTexas First BankTerrance TrevinoBP Texas City ChemicalsBecky TroutUTMBDiana VasquezTNMPBoard of DirectorsMay 2019 | Chamber Express | 3CHAMBER CHATMarathon Petroleum investmentMarathon Petroleum Corp. has long intended for its Galveston Bay Refinery to become the largest in the nation, and its announcement of an addition-al $1.2 billion investment is the next stop in that long-term goal. Officials with the Ohio-based company recently unveiled plans to invest an additional $1.2 billion into the Texas City facility between 2019 and 2022, as part of a plan to increase its crude capacity and drive down costs.The company has been working to integrate its Galveston Bay facility it purchased from BP in 2013 for $2.5 billion and the Texas City refinery it had already operated. — The Daily NewsLa Marque development facts and stats• Development Services staff re-sponded to at least 7,500 phone inquires• Sixty-nine new homes were built with a top value of $338,700• Eleven business remodels or up-grades have happened• There have been more that 152 de-velopment permits totaling $18,235,488 in capital investmentMall of the Mainland new additionsJerome Karam held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony recently for Right Move Storage and PostNet, now occupying the 83,000-square-foot former department store building. Right Move Storage is a climate-con-trolled self-storage facility, while PostNet offers printing, blue prints, shipping and design services. — The Daily NewsTexas City Independent School DistrictThe TCISD school board approved naming one of the new La Marque elementary schools to be built on Bayou Road as Jimmy Hayley Elemen-tary School, in honor of his service to the community and 27 years of service to the La Marque Independent School District Board of Trustees. The school is expected to be built over the next year and ready for students by the beginning of the 2020 to 2021 school year. The gym at La Marque Middle School will be named after Ralph C. Allen, formerly a coach in the La Marque district and a community member best known as someone who, during the 1960s and 1970s, worked to ensure the La Marque schools were integrated successfully and peacefully. “This happened because of commu-nity input and requests made to the facilities’ naming committee,” Melissa Tortorici said. The committee brought a resolution to the board recommending both names, and the board recently approved them by unanimous vote. — The Daily NewsLeadership Mainland Class of 2019The Leadership Mainland Class of 2019 traveled to Austin on April 9. Their first stop was Sen. Larry Taylor’s office, followed by a Capitol tour. The group was then seated in the Senate gallery where they were recognized and presented a Resolution. They then had a photo session with Sen.Taylor and State Rep. Mayes Middleton on the steps outside Senate Chamber. Texas Legislative associates arranged a meeting room in Wahrenberger House, where the group met Chris Paxton, chief of staff for Rep. Middle-ton. The afternoon sessions were with Hector Rivero, president and CEO of the Texas Chemical Council, and Mike Morath, commissioner of the Texas Ed-ucation Agency in the historic Supreme Court Courtroom.Texas City High School robotics teamTexas City High School’s robotics program, represented by 15 students, recently competed in the VEX Robot-ics World Championship in Louisville, Kentucky.Five fourth-graders, in their first year of robotics instruction at their school, won the VEX IQ Innovate Award, top honors for their ability to implement an effective and efficient robot design process. The team competed against some 400 other teams in its age group.Also rising to the top was Texas City High School student Keilan Levesque who won the World Champion Design Award at the VEX competition for the robot he designed and built under the supervision of instructor James Jobe, coordinator of the burgeoning robotics program at TCISD.— The Daily News College of the Mainland Student CenterEmployees housed in the administra-tion building and enrollment center re-located to the renovated student center the first week of April, just in time for the start of registration for summer and fall classes. The grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Student Center and dedication of the Bennie Matthews Commons was held April 29. College of the Mainland commencementCommencement is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, at Abundance Life Center in La Marque. The morning ceremony will include candidates of Associate of Science, Associate of Arts, Associate of Arts in Teaching and Texas Certificate of High School Equivalency. The afternoon session is for candidates of Associate of Applied Science and certificates.4 | Chamber Express | May 2019RENT • SALES • REPAIR2830 TEXAS AVE., TEXAS CITY • 409-948-4497MAINLANDTOOLMAINLAND TOOLStore Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm, 24 Hour Call Out Service AvailableMAINLANDTOOL.COMWHILE SUPPLIES LAST!Porter-Cable20 Volt Cordless Drill$7995BUSINESS OF THE MONTHHEY MIKEY’S ICE CREAM613 6th St. N., Texas City208-602-3286Representative: Michael Bouvier, ownerHey Mikey’s Ice Cream is a family-owned and -operated business that started in 2009. One year later, Mike Bouvier, his wife, Kathy, and the family moved from Idaho to Galveston in hopes to grow the business.What makes Hey Mikey’s different is the mentality that high quality ingredi-ents and loving every minute of work truly gives ice cream the next-level taste. The family takes great pride in customer service because they want people to fall in love with their ice cream and the store’s environment. There are now two locations, one in Galveston and one in Texas City.Wanting to make the most delicious ice cream possible, Mike knew that he had to learn from the best. He enrolled in the Ice Cream University, where he met his instructor Malcolm Stogo. Stogo and his associates have been in the ice cream industry for many years. After graduating from Ice Cream Uni-versity, Mike became a member of the National Ice Cream Retailers Association, which helps him to keep up with new technology and ideas, ensuring the best possible product for you, his customers. The same mindset applies to the Bou-viers’ two new projects — Bearfruit Bakery, which will be ran by the very talented Kait-lin Stafford and will hopefully be open at the end of June, and Pete’s Burgers, which will follow the bakery’s opening. Both of those businesses will open right next to the Texas City Hey Mikey’s location, for all of Texas City to enjoy. The Bouvier family is honored to be welcomed to Texas City with open arms and says thank you.happy hours, for social outings and community service opportunities. There are also occasions to network with successful professionals at hosted mentor luncheons.Young Professionals is not about creating career paths for our young professionals to achieve years from now, but more to create leadership op-portunities for them today. As a result, the young professionals gain valuable insight from a powerful up-and-com-ing demographic, and millennials feel more satisfied with their membership.According to the chamber’s website, “the goal of the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce Young Profes-sionals is to engage our future leaders in the business community.”For information about the Young Professionals of the Mainland, contact Kaela Ibrahim at the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce, 9702 Emmett F. Lowry Expressway, Texas City, at 409-935-1408. May 2019 | Chamber Express | 5u need any type of refractory material on or repair, call us. 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