protect everyone in the city, includ- ing the elderly and those who are most vulnerable. Businesses that have reopened or are preparing to reopen can show their commitment to ensuring the health and safety of our community by signing and displaying the Texas City “Taking Care of Business” Work- place Protection Commitment. By signing on, your organization promises to remain informed of the latest recommended health and safety guidelines, to sanitize your fa- cility frequently, to provide personal protective equipment and sanitation tools to staff and to take all the steps you can to protect employees, cus- tomers and the community. Posters are being provided for chamber members to display at your location to show the community you have taken the pledge and highlight your commitment to workplace safety. Want to find out how you can get involved? Contact Jessica Spangle at 409-935-1408 or jessica@texascity chamber.com. Stay safe as you can at your workplace and gain some positive exposure for your organization at the same time. Your customers/cli- ents/guests and the community will appreciate it! AUGUST 2020 INSIDE THIS ISSUE New members �������������������������������������������������������2 Video Power Package ������������������������������������������3 Business of the Month ����������������������������������������4 Member Profile ������������������������������������������������������5 #AskWhyIMask�������������������������������������������������������6 TCISD welcomes new superintendent ����������8 Chamber and community news ���������������������9 Shrimp Boil and Auction ����������������������������������10 Board of Directors ����������������������������������������������11 The official publication of the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce CHAMBER SPOTLIGHT: RUST EWING INSURANCE MEMBER PROFILE: BRANDON WADE, GCWA BUSINESS OF THE MONTH: WORKFORCE SOLUTIONS Taking care of business and each other Workplace issues and the well-being of employees and customers has been weighing heavily on the minds of busi- ness owners and managers through- out the county. What can be done to let people know it’s safe to continue doing business at your location? The Texas City–La Marque Chamber and the City of Texas City have part- nered along with the County of Galves- ton COVID-19 Business Task Force to encourage workplace safety awareness. As businesses begin to reopen and citizens try to return to normal daily activities, we all must remain vigilant to protect the health and safety of the com- munity from the impacts of COVID-19. The virus that causes COVID-19 can be spread to others by infected per- sons who have few or no symptoms. Because of the hidden nature of this threat, Texas City is asking all busi- nesses to commit to do their part to 2 | Chamber Express | August 2020 ‘Lightning Rob’ Balderas - Roofing Specialist 409-945-6920 WELCOME NEW MEMBERS EnerMech Mechanical Services, Inc 218 N. Preston Rd. Pasadena, TX 77503 281-477-7828 enermech.com Representative: Carey Porche Category: Industrial Terry Bryant Accident and Injury Law 8584 Katy Fwy, STE 100 Houston, TX 77024 713-973-8888 terrybryant.com jmintz@terrybryant.com Representative: Joshua Mintz Category: Attorneys Industrial Tent Systems 10934 Hazelhurst Dr. Houston, TX 77043 936-689-9715 festivetents.com Representative: Alanna Caffarel Category: Industrial Scaffolding Fairfield Inn & Suites - League City 1144 Pinnacle Park Dr. League City, TX 77546 832-221-7998 mariott.com/hotels/travel/houlg-fairfield- inn-and-suites-houson-league-city/ Representative: Tejal Patel Category: Hotels The Germ Guy 1531 Nacogdoches Valley Dr. League City, TX 77573 832-444-3588 thegermguy.net Representative: Mike Rodriguez Category: Commercial Cleaning Dee’s Caribbean Cafe 6902 FM 1765 Texas City, TX 77591 281-907-2674 Representative : Damaris Diaz Category: Restaurants, Food, Beverage Sure Flow Equipment Inc. 5010 North Service Rd. Burlington, Ontario L7L 5R5 713-724-9929 Representative: Diana Sierk Category: Industrial Art of Coffee 405 Laurel St. La Marque, TX 77568 409-229-7105 Representative: Bill Minak Category: Restaurants, Food, Beverage The Healthy Spot 2809 Palmer Highway Texas City, TX 77590 409-771-0081 Representatives : Michele Castaneda, John Castaneda, Josh Lewis, Rachel Lewis Category: Health & WellnessAugust 2020 | Chamber Express | 3 www.crowderfuneralhome.com Traditional Funeral Services • Cremation Specialists • Pre-Need Arrangements • Monuments • Headstones Celebrating 60 Years of Service MainlandMainland 409-935-2496409-935-2496 MetroMetro 281-337-5634281-337-5634 IslandIsland 409-765-5883409-765-5883 www.alexsair.com TACLA 15714Cwww.alexsair.com TACLA 15714C VIDEO POWER PACKAGE For more information about the Video Power Package, contact Jessica Spangle at 409-935-1408 or jessica@texascitychamber.com. Own your own custom one-minute commercial video! Thanks to KHEA Ra- dio’s talented production team, the cham- ber is offering this exclusive new oppor- tunity — the Video Power Package. There are only two openings per month and, for a limited time (until December 2020), this powerful online promotion is available for only $950 to current chamber members. View the first two high-quality, high-impact videos that were produced for Trey Industries and Rust-Ewing Insurance on the TCLM Chamber web- site, YouTube channel, Facebook and Instagram. Interested? Members, here is what you need to do • Decide to get on the list for this great marketing opportunity. • Call or email the chamber to re- serve your time on the schedule. • Prepare your talking points, location and personnel to appear in the video. What the chamber will do • Hold a pre-production meeting to collaborate on the creative plan for your video. Locations and marketing goals will be determined in advance (approx. two weeks prior to your video production day). • Post your finished video online on the TCLM Chamber YouTube channel and all chamber social media channels. • Provide your video to you on a flash drive and a thumbnail image to add to your own website, along with a list of powerful promotional tips to further broaden your online exposure. What KHEA will do • Direct, record, edit and produce your video to perfection! You will have full input and approval of the video content. • Conduct your on-camera interviews and guide you through the process to maximize your video’s professional appearance. • Cross-post your video for addition- al exposure on KHEA Radio online and other media outlets including i45 Now. The key value of your Video Pow- er Package comes from the sharing and cross-posting of your commercial content by the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce. Google ranks a link from a chamber among the most credible sources in any community. By having this highly credible third-party posting of your video, your search en- gine ranking will receive a HUGE boost! Let the chamber and KHEA Radio help you create a killer video this year! Step up your marketing game and get your high-quality Video Power Package for this low price before the openings in 2020 fill up. AUGUST VIDEO POWER PACKAGE Rust Ewing Insurance 7900 Emmett F. Lowry Expy Texas City, TX 77591 409-934-8000 www.rustewing.com Representative: Bob Senter View this video at www.TCLMchamber.com Contact information4 | Chamber Express | August 2020 BUSINESS OF THE MONTH The first Workforce Solutions office opened in 1997 at the Family Community Center on Texas Ave. In the early 2000s, the office relocated to its current location in the old Academy building on Palmer Highway. The business had a satellite office in Clear Lake, which served transitioning job seek- ers from the Aerospace Industry, and another office on Galveston Island to serve the community after Hurricane Ike in 2008. Currently, more than 9,000 people walk through the doors of the Workforce Solutions office in Texas City per year, seeking assistance to get a job, keep a job or get a better job. The office is part of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board, serving as its operating affiliate, Workforce Solutions. The public workforce system serves the 13-county Houston-Galveston region of Texas. The company helps employers meet their human resource needs while also helping individuals build careers so both can compete in the global economy. The team of workforce professionals provides indi- vidualized service that helps employers find quali- fied applicants for specific jobs and develop custom solutions to strengthen their current workforce. Workforce Solutions partners with the Texas Workforce Commission and other workforce boards in the largest job-matching database in the state -— WorkInTexas.com. The business offers job search, job matching assistance, career counseling, finan- cial aid for education/training and work support. The company hosts the monthly Galveston Coun- ty Workforce Partnership meeting on the last Tues- day of each month to connect community partners with each other and career office staff to provide 365-degree services to the local community. The business actively supports local school districts, ca- reer training vendors and chambers of commerce. With more than 35 staff members working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, the business continues to provide virtual services and engage with the community through its Facebook page. Workforce Solutions - Texas City 3549 Palmer Highway Texas City, TX 77590 Phone: 409-949-9055 Fax: 409-949-9035 www.wrksolutions.com Representative: Jennifer Bridgeford, Career Office Manager jennifer.bridgeford@wrksolutions.comAugust 2020 | Chamber Express | 5 MEMBER PROFILE MEMBER PROFILE Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce members have amazing talents and stores to tell. With this series, we want to introduce you to some of our members and spotlight their besinesses. If you would like to be spotlighted in our Member Profile, contact Lorrie Koster at lorrie@texascitychamber.com Tell us a little about your background. I’ve served as General Manager/CEO of the Gulf Coast Water Authority (GCWA) for a year after serv- ing as Deputy General Manager. I have more than 35 years of municipal experience, including Pflugerville City Manager; Galveston Deputy City Manager, Direc- tor of Public Works and City Engineer; and Alvin Di- rector of Community Development and City Engineer. I have a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Houston and a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Texas Tech University. How would you describe what you do? Our mission is to reliably deliver up to 200 million gallons of water a day to industrial, municipal and agricultural customers in Brazoria, Fort Bend and Gal- veston counties. We draw water from the Brazos River Basin and maintain an extensive water delivery system that in- cludes 315 miles of canals, 4 pump stations, 2 reservoirs totaling 12,000 acre-feet and 35 miles of pipelines. Our major operations in Texas City include the following: • Industrial pump station with 95 million-gallon daily capacity for Texas City industries • Thomas Mackey Water Treatment Plant, which has a daily capacity of 57 million gallons and provides drinking water to most of Galveston County • Administrative office How has your business evolved over time? Beginning with its legacy agricultural and industri- al entities in the early 1900s, GCWA has evolved and grown to meet the ever-changing needs of the com- munities and businesses it serves. In 1965, the Texas Legislature established GCWA as a water utility essential to the growth of communi- ties, businesses and the petrochemical industry in our service area. What are you working on now? Water is a limited resource, but the need will con- tinue to grow. We are focused on making sure that we can reliably deliver water to our customers now and in the future. We continue to identify new, long-term water resources and improve or replace aging infra- structure. Gulf Coast Water Authority 3630 FM 1765 Texas City, TX 77590 409-935-2438 Representative: Brandon Wade GCWA General Manager/CEO Read more about GCWA at www.gulfcoastwaterauthoritytx.gov6 | Chamber Express | August 2020 August 2020 | Chamber Express | 78 | Chamber Express | August 2020 SERVICING YOU IS A PLEASURE 409-948-4589 My clients say I am their “Favorite Realtor”. Over forty-three (43) years servicing Galveston County Wanda Ables Realtor ® /Broker Associate wmables@aol.com 822 6th Street North Texas City, TX 77590 409-771-4775 Cell 409-948-4589 Direct 409-948-2321 Fax 2425 SH 146 North • Texas City 409-945-4461 • Fax 409-945-8479 • Email: tctrr.com No. 4 In Texas No. 10 in U.S. Gulf Coast No. 15 in U.S. Nationwide PORT OF TEXAS CITY Texas City Terminal Railway Company Port Authority NEW SCHOOL YEAR, NEW SUPERINTENDENT Dr. Melissa Duarte has been named the new superintended of Texas City Independent School District. Duarte will become the 17th superin- tendent in Texas City ISD since 1913. Duarte previously served as deputy superintendent in Goose Creek ISD. Her 28-year education career includes teaching at the elementary, junior high and high school levels, serving as a principal, an elementary curriculum coordinator, an executive director for curriculum and instruction and an assis- tant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She gained her 24 years of administrative experience in Sharyland ISD and Goose Creek ISD. “Dr. Duarte has a strong proven track record with curriculum, academic ac- countability and financial accountabili- ty,” said Bryan Thompson, TCISD School Board President. “She is a proven leader and has shown great leadership in her role as deputy superintendent in Goose Creek ISD. She implemented effective academic measures in her current dis- trict that can be replicated in Texas City ISD.” She is known to be a turn-around administrator that takes campuses from unacceptable to exemplary. Some of Duarte’s achievements include receiving national designations for academic pro- grams, increasing dual credit and career and technology education participation, developing a community outreach early literacy program and a dual language program. Duarte has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and econom- ics studies (1991), a Master’s degree in education, administration/supervision (1996) and a doctorate in education, all from the University of Texas-Pan Ameri- can (2005). “The Chamber values its partnership with the school district, and we look forward to working with Dr. Duarte,” said Jenny Senter, Texas City-La Marque Chamber president. Join us in giving a big chamber welcome to Dr. Melissa Duarte, new Superintendent of Texas City ISD.August 2020 | Chamber Express | 9 RENT • SALES • REPAIR 2830 TEXAS AVE., TEXAS CITY • 409-948-4497 Store Hours: Mon-Fri: 7am-6pm, 24 Hour Call Out Service Available MAINLANDTOOL.COM WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! Porter-Cable 20 Volt Cordless Drill $$ 7979 9595 CHAMBER AND COMMUNITY NEWS Chamber Golf Classic The Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce is excited to promote the 34th annual “Jimmy Hay- ley” Chamber Golf Classic, to be held from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1 at Bayou Golf Course in Texas City. The chamber looks forward to a safe and entertaining golf experience and hopes that you are ready as well. Sponsorships are available as well as team registrations. Contact Jessica Spangle at 409-935-1408 or jessica@texascitychamber.com for more information. Bayou Fest 2020 canceled That’s right, folks. Charley Pride was ready to appear on the Bayou Fest stage, but COVID-19 had other plans. The City of La Marque and the chamber suggest that you mark your calendars now and plan to see Charley Pride Saturday, Oct. 16, 2021, at Mac McGaffey Highland Bayou Park. All the fun will return next year with the barbecue cook-off, fair food, craft ven- dors, mutton bustin,’ pumpkin patch and free kids fishing festivities. Congratulations Mike Meyer has been promoted to Plant Manager for Ashland. Con- grats from the chamber! Please join us in wishing the best for Aaron Cameron in his new position with Ashland. College News College of the Mainland is proud to join with other community colleges in the state to help 300,000 Texans get back to work in the next 300 days. Construction update: • The STEAM and Administration build- ings are still on-track and on-schedule. The projected completion date is early 2021. • Industrial Careers and Police Depart- ment – Both of these buildings are scheduled to break ground and begin construction in early 2021. Shape Your Future Take the 2020 Census T he Census Bureau strongly en- courages you to respond online at 2020census.gov. Getting an accurate household count will affect future federal funding for our community. Households can respond online, by phone, or by mail using the question- naire that was mailed out in April or on their own until these visits conclude on Oct. 31.Next >