Katy Area Chamber of Commerce Honors Award Winners at Gala
The Katy Area Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated its annual gala, A Tribute to Katy on Feb. 17 with a record crowd. The event was chaired by Lori Gunn and held in the Safari Texas Ranch Ballroom. The elegant evening included dinner, as well as commemorative portraits for guests and entertainment and dancing by the Password.
The Chamber recognized the 2011 Volunteers of the Year, Business of the Year, and Citizen of the Year.
Volunteers of the Year
The 2011 Katy Area Chamber of Commerce Volunteers of the Year are members of the Arc of Katy. Their service and volunteer efforts in the Katy area make the lives of others better, and they serve as a shining example of what makes our area such a nice place to live. The Arc of Katy is a nonprofit working to create opportunities for all children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their goal is to enable each of their students to be a participating and respected member of the community and to grow in mind, body, and spirit.
Business of the Year
With over 12 years of serving the Katy community, CHRISTUS St. Catherine Hospital was recognized by the Chamber as the 2011 Business of the Year. Since its opening in 2000, CHRISTUS St. Catherine Hospital has grown nearly as fast as the Katy community. The Catholic-based hospital has doubled in size, tripled its emergency room capacity, expanded medical services and procedures, and added new buildings to its campus.
Their mission is to serve the community through partnership, compassion, and stewardship. As a faith-based, mission-driven hospital, it gives back to the community through a variety of direct healthcare programs as a living, breathing image of its mission.
CHRISTUS St. Catherine Hospital uses its unique health ministry to provide medical attention for local school children, at-risk cancer patients, and other high-risk and underserved populations in the Greater Houston and Katy areas.
Citizen of the Year
Ray Wolman was honored as the Chamber’s 2011 recipient of the Citizen of the Year award. After graduating from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in wildlife science, Ray was hired as the only biology teacher at Katy’s then only high school.
In 1980, Katy ISD and the community developed a long-range plan to establish the Outdoor Learning Center for students in this quickly expanding community, and Wolman soon began working to create innovative programs at the center. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to the community through his service in a variety of organizations and groups.
Look for more red carpet photos from the Katy Area Chamber of Commerce Gala in Katy Magazine’s upcoming spring 2012 issue! Please mention you found this on www.KatyMagazine.com.
