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.InsideCharter chamber members .................................................................................................................................................................3Fun facts about the chamber ..............................................................................................................................................................4Past chairpersons ....................................................................................................................................................................................6History of the chamber .........................................................................................................................................................................8Travel with the chamber .....................................................................................................................................................................10Vol. 24 | Issue 11 November 2019Past chairpersons of the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce >> Page 6It was the “Summer of Love,” with flower power and rock ‘n’ roll as Dr. G.O. Wellman, president of the Texas City Chamber, and Jim Crowder, president of the La Marque Chamber, worked close-ly during 1968 preparing for the merger of the two organizations. In March 1968, in the largest referendum vote ever taken by either organization, the membership voted 4-to-1 for the merger of the two chambers. The new board of directors, of the Greater Texas City-La Marque Cham-ber of Commerce, was elected in Septem-ber 1968, and the newly created organiza-tion began operations Jan. 1, 1969.In the ’70s, Chamber Executive Les Box hosted the largest crowd ever with 750 citizens attending the Shrimp Boil at the Texas City Dike Marina. AMOCO Federal Credit Union moved to its present location on Texas Avenue and the City of Texas City passed a recreation bond to include the Lowry Fitness Center, with a swimming pool, tennis courts, a rifle range and more. Neil Armstrong made one giant leap for mankind as College of the Mainland was moving forward to its existing campus. In the ’80s, Haley’s Comet traveled across the sky while the chamber also made a big move of its own ... from downtown Texas City to Emmett F. Low-ry Expressway. The world saw its first personal computer and, during Chamber Executive Gary Trim’s tenure in the ’80s, the Texas City-La Marque Chamber was the first chamber in the state to utilize computer software to track membership. The ’90s began with the fall of the Ber-lin Wall, while we had the rise of a new Chamber President, Jimmy Hayley, who started his second career in January 1987. It was the beginning of a lot of “firsts,” in-cluding the Taste of the Town & Auction, Leadership Mainland, Golden Division, Industrial Trade Show and the Chamber Golf Classic. The ’90s also brought on cellphone mania, and residents of Texas City and La Marque were excited to wel-come shopping mania with the additions of the Mall of the Mainland, Mainland Crossing Shopping Center and the Fac-tory Outlet Shops. Gulf Greyhound Park also raced to the area to provide residents with some dog-day afternoons. As Y2K appeared around the corner, so did the beginning of the housing boom, industry expansions, hospital expansion and the new medical clinic. The cham-ber made one more giant leap into the 21st Century by purchasing a building in 2006. BP paid off that note in 2009, so the chamber finally owns its building. In 2016, the chamber announced Jenny Senter as president after the passing of Jimmy Hayley, who had served as presi-dent for almost 30 years. As the chamber hits its 50-year mark, we look back with gratitude to the many leaders and hun-dreds of companies who provided vision and support to develop the association into what it is today and will become in the next 50 years.As the chamber hits its 50-year mark, we look back with gratitude2 | The Daily News | Chamber Express | November 2019November 2019 | Chamber Express | The Daily News | 3As we celebrate 50 years of busi-ness leadership in Texas City and La Marque since 1969, we recog-nize the Charter Members whose commit-ment and vision have made our communi-ty what it is today. Historically and to this day, the Chamber of Commerce remains the most trusted source of information on local businesses and services and the most dependable ally in commerce. There is no better partner for success than the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce.It is a pleasure to celebrate the “found-ing members” of our Chamber and express our appreciation for their many years of loyalty, dedication and commu-nity spirit. It is a tribute not only to their tenure with the Chamber, but also a trib-ute to their successful businesses,” Presi-dent Jenny Senter said. “Strength in unity” has paid off over the years when you look at the commercial and industrial growth that has taken place in Texas City and La Marque since the 1969 merger of the Texas City Chamber and the La Marque Chamber. The Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce has been in the forefront of numerous efforts, both publicly and privately, to generate new commerce, industry and a better quality of life in La Marque and Texas City. We pay tribute to these found-ing members of our Chamber.• A & A Machine & Fabrication• AMOCO Federal Credit Union• College of the Mainland• Crescent Electric/Industrial I & E • Crowder Funeral Home • Dow Chemical • Dunn Heat Exchangers • Emken Linton Funeral Home • Joseph Hoover AIA & Associates • Mainland Medical Center • Marathon Petroleum • Port of Texas City • Tennille, Inc.• The Galveston County Daily News • Trey IndustriesCelebrating 50 years of Business Leadership4 | The Daily News | Chamber Express | November 20191. Father (Joe F. Hoover - 1972) and two sons (Joe A. Hoover - 1969 and Doug Hoover - 1975) served as chamber chairmen.2. Husband (Gary Meyer - 1991) and wife (Georgia Meyer - 1997) were chamber chairpersons.3. In 2020, the chamber will have had another father (Ron Plackemeier - 1993) and son (Rusty Plackemeier - 2020) serve as chairmen.4. Father and son who served as chamber chairmen were Richard DeVries (2006) and Chris DeVries (2014).5. Olympic Gold Medal winner, Fred Newhouse, was a cham-ber chairman in 2008.6. Emken Linton, 1989 chairman, was also District Governor for Rotary.7. Tommy Lambright, 2003 chairman, was also Grand Poobah for Shriners.8. In the ’80s the chamber was the first chamber of commerce in the state of Texas to utilize computer software to track mem-bership.9. The chamber currently has 925 active members.10. Received “Chamber of the Year Award” in 1992 from the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives.11. The chamber earned a “4-Star Accreditation” from the United States Chamber of Commerce in 2019. Less than 3% of Chambers in the US are accredited.12. The combined years of service at this chamber by its cur-rent employees totals 90 years.13. The Chamber purchased its current building in 2006 and owns this permanent location.14. Leadership Mainland was started in 1987 with Dr. Bill Chuoke, DDS as chairman.15. Golden Division was created in 1987 for retirees who wanted to stay active in the business and community through volunteer service.16. 750 people attended the first Shrimp Boil in 1971 at the Dike Marina on the Texas City Dike17. Most amount of shrimp cooked at a Shrimp Boil was 1600 pounds in 2019.18. “La Marque Fair on the Square” turned into “Gulf Coast Seafood Grill Off” and then evolved into “Bayou Fest.”19. Highland Bayou Park had its grand opening unveiling in October 1988.20. The 1990s welcomed shopping mania with Mall of the Mainland, Factory Outlet Shops and Mainland Crossing Shop-ping Center. 21. The chamber has had some notable visits from people like Governor and former President George W. Bush, Governor Rick Perry, Governor Ann Richards, U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, Miss Texas Sherri Ryman and more. 22. In 1997, the chamber served as co-chair with the City of Texas City to win the title for the “All American City” competition in Kansas City, Kansas.23. 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