Katy Area Chamber of Commerce Holds Annual Gala
Katy Texas News
Posted February 8, 2011
The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce celebrated its Annual Gala, “A Tribute to Katy†on Friday, February 4. The event was held at the Safari Texas Ballroom and included dinner as well as commemorative portraits for the guests and entertainment and dancing by the Password.
The Chamber recognized the 2010 Award for Exceptional Service, Volunteer of the Year, Business of the Year and Citizen of the Year. The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce presented these awards at the Gala:
Exceptional Service Award
The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce presented Lori Gunn with the Exceptional Service Award for 2010.
With Lori’s hard work, dedication and long list of contributions, many of the most important yearly chamber events, including the Annual Gala, Katy Rice Harvest Festival and Home for the Holidays have enjoyed great success and have helped the chamber do its job in providing local businesses and the community with quality events and services.
Lori has been a Chamber member since 2004 and has served on the Board of Directors since 2005. A strong presence in the community, she is a founding member of the Katy Performing Arts Society, served as the treasurer for the Katy Heritage Society, and a board member and treasurer for ARTreach. Her service also includes chairing and supporting the Houston Aeros Charities from 2005-2009, a current member and past secretary for P-16 West Council, and continues with a seat on the CHRISTUS St. Catherine Hospital Advisory Council. In addition, she is a CAPS Foster Home volunteer and fills a vital role with Home Delivered Meals of Katy.
Professionally, Lori held the position of vice-president at Bricker + Cannady Architects for a number of years, controller for PWM Electronic Price Signs, and currently works as controller for Lamoureux Assc, Inc. She also serves as the Social Editor for Katy Lifestyles and Homes.
Lori’s family includes husband Alan, daughters Chelsea, Breann and her husband Doug Worthy and grandsons Trevor and Lawrence.
Volunteer of the Year
The 2010 Katy Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year is Rick MacDonald. His service to the people of the Katy area and his tireless efforts to make the lives of others better is a shining example of what makes our area such a nice place to live.
Through the Katy Home Savers Association, a non-profit organization that aids and assists disadvantaged senior citizens and disabled Katy residents by making repairs to their homes, his group has enabled them to remain in their homes and to enjoy a more comfortable and much safer environment. Repairs include anything from a wheelchair ramp to new flooring or walls.
To the Katy Cowgirls and FFA students, Rick MacDonald has been a key figure in the support and success of those programs. After his own daughters were Cowgirls and seeing first-hand the benefits to the kids, he has remained involved by supplying hay to those who need it, buying projects for the kids to raise, promoting and taking part in the livestock auction, and creating scholarships for Katy ISD students.
Rick lives in Katy with his wife Doris and has two adult daughters. He is employed by El Paso.
Business of the Year
With over 20 years of serving the Katy Community as a business and community partner, the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce recognized Amegy Bank as the 2010 Business of the Year.
By partnering with the City of Katy, the Katy Police and Fire Departments, Katy Social Services and Keep Katy Beautiful, Amegy Bank has been able to raise funds to support many local projects and efforts, recently sponsoring the new scoreboard at Rhodes Stadium for the use of all Katy ISD Athletic departments. Last November, Amegy Bank collected toys for local children on behalf of the Katy Rotary Club.
Amegy Bank has recently added The ARC of Katy, ARTreach and the Katy Foundation to their roster of partnerships, which also includes Katy ISD FFA, the Katy Family YMCA, the National MS Society and the Juvenile Diabetes Walks in Katy. Amegy employees spend time giving back to Katy by being active volunteers in the Katy school district teaching Junior Achievement and reading during the Promise to Read annual event.
During the Katy Rice Harvest Festival, Amegy Bank serves as the financial headquarters and processing center for the event.
Amegy Bank is a proud member of the Katy Business Association, KISD Partners in Education, Katy Area Economic Development Council, the Katy Heritage Society, Katy Rotary Club, and the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce. Recently, Amegy Bank has partnered with the Katy Area EDC and the Katy Area Bank Alliance to assist local businesses access financing with the hopes of creating new jobs and investment in the Katy area.
Citizen of the Year
The 2010 recipient of the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award is Fort Bend County Judge Bob Hebert.
Judge Hebert is especially proud of lowering the county tax rate by nine percent and since taking office, achieving a real reduction in property taxes this year. All of this was accomplished while reorganizing and streamlining the organizational structure of county government, modernizing the IT systems, building over $200 million worth of new county roads, initiating the largest modernization and expansion of county facilities in our history, including a new precinct office at Westpark Toll Road and the Grand Parkway, a second jail tower and the new Justice Center.
Personally, Judge Hebert notes the satisfaction he received from the county’s emergency management response to the four hurricanes in three years, including Katrina, Rita and Ike, the sense of history he felt celebrating the 100th birthday of the Old Courthouse in Richmond and the friendship and affectionate responses he gets from citizens around the county as he carries out his official duties.
Judge Hebert is a graduate of South Texas Junior College (now the University of Houston, Downtown), Pepperdine University and California Coast University. He founded and served as Chairman and CEO of Eco Resources, Incorporated in Sugar Land in 1972 through September of 1985, when the company was acquired by Southwest Water Company, Inc.
From 1985 through the present, Judge Hebert has served as a consultant to the public and private sectors, specializing in water utility and general management issues. His broad public service background includes president and trustee of the Alief Board of Trustees; vice-president and director of the Brazos River Authority; president, chairman and director of the National Council for Public-Private Partnerships; trustee and vice chairman of the Greater Fort Bend Economic Development Council as well as offices held in several area chambers of commerce and service agencies.
Judge Hebert and his wife Pat have lived in Fort Bend County for over 26 years.
For more information, contact the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce at 281-391-5289 or visit katychamber.com. Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.
