August 27, 2009
Scott Murray, longtime sports director at NBC Channel 5 and one of the most sought-after speakers in the Metroplex, will be the guest for the 16th annual Keene Chamber of Commerce banquet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Committee of 100 Cafeteria on the Southwestern Adventist University campus. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.
Tickets — $25 for Chamber members and $30 for nonmembers — go on sale Tuesday at the General Insurance Service office, 100 S. Old Betsy Road at Hillcrest.
The banquet features seven awards honoring residents. The Keene Chamber is asking for Keene Star readers to help select the honorees. The deadline to vote is noon on Sept. 30.
You do not have to be a Keene Chamber member to vote. Nominations can be delivered in three ways:
Here is the criteria for each award and the names of recent recipients since 2007:
The Community Service Award is given to an individual and/or organization who has given extensive and continued service to the community.
In 2007, the award was presented to Dale Hainey, director of the physical plant at SWAU for his assastance with many community events.
Last year, Joe and Shery Watts, directors of the Adventist Community Services Disaster Response Depot in Keene, accepted the Community Service Award.
The organization has provided 18-wheel trucks loaded with clothes and other supplies to victims of natural disasters, most recently the people of Louisiana and Texas left homeless by Hurricane Ike.
The Community Improvement Award honors businesses for contributing to the beautification of the city through new buildings and/or well manicured grounds and landscaping, thus presenting a positive image and improving the quality of life in Keene.
In 2007, Read-Billingsley Real Estate, Sonic Drive-In and Wash Depot won the award.
Last year, Huguley Medical Associates, which operates the new Keene clinic of Dr. Luis Retamozo, received the Community Improvement Award.
The Huguley Medical Associates family practice clinic opened on June 12, 2008, at 213 Hillcrest. It is staffed by Retamozo, a board certified familyl practitioner, who provides initial, continuing and comprehensive care for families and individuals of all ages and both sexes.
The Educator of the Year Award honors one who demonstrates excellence in the classroom and goes the extra mile by being involved in the lives of students outside the classroom.
One educator from the public schools and one from the private schools are honored each year. The award is accompanied by a check for $100.
In 2007, Duane York and Pap Sisk were honored for the public school and Ann Valdez and Dr. Art Chadwick were honored for the private schools.
Last year, DeeAnna Bogusch of the public schools and Steve Bradley of the private schools were recognized as Educators of the Year.
Bogusch retired at the end of the school year.
Bradley teaches physical education at Keene Adventist Elementary School.
The Pioneer Award, initiated in 1999, recognizes an individual or organization whose long ago contributions and influence helped make Keene what it is today.
In 2007, Lillian Davis received the award.
Last year, Loneta Pauly received the award.
Mrs. Pauly taught in Keene public schools for almost 20 years in the white frame building currently the junior high.
After retiring from teaching, Mrs. Pauly volunteered in the front office at Chisholm Trail Academy. Later, she used her intellicet and creativity to develop a series of Bible-based board games. The games are published by the Review & Herald Publishing Company and available in Christian book stores nationwide.
The Citizen of the Year is an individual who has been a model citizen and given dedicated and extensive service to individuals, organizations, and the community on a continued basis.
This will be the 14th year for the Chamber to recognize a Citizen of the Year.
In 2007, Tim Sinclair received the honor for founding and organizing the Keene Christmas Light Parade.
Last year, the honor went to City Accountant Bill Guinn.
Guinn, a certified public accountant who was business manager for Brandom Manufacturing Co. before it relocated to Hillsboro, spent hours and hours researching the city’s financial records to accurately identify expenditures that had been assigned to the wrong account and to be able to more accurately predict revenues and expenses.
The Young Entrepreneur Award, new in 2006, is presented to a young business person who has made a commitment to Keene.
In 2007, the award was presented to Dave Tucker of Dave the Camera Guy.
Last year, the award was presented to Shawn and Teresa Reid, owners of Reid’s Car Care.
The Reids purchsed Laursen’s Car Care, changed the brand to Shell and installed pay-at-the-pump for the first time in Keene.
Phillip Sparks was honored with the first Helping Hands Award, which honors an individual who provides continued assistance without seeking compensation or recognition.
Sparks helped set up equipment for Keene Youth Sports Association softball games, soccer games, the Fourth of July Parade, STARfest and many other events in Keene.
Sparks died Feb. 19, four months after receiving the honor.
The Keene Chamber decided to continue the award in his honor. This year will be the first awarding of the Phillip Sparks Memorial Helping Hands Award.
Scott Murray was the guest of the Keene Chamber banquet in 2000.
He was an Emmy Award-winning television sports anchor and broadcast journalist for 30 years with NBC, of which, close to 25 were spent with NBC Channel 5.
Murray was named Sportscaster of the Year 17 times. In addition, he won back to back Emmy Awards for Best Sports Anchor in 2000 and 2001, and, in 2002, was the recipient of the prestigious Silver Circle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Following his retirement from TV news, he founded Murray Media, a full-service video/HDTV production company.
2000 and 2001, and, in 2002, was the recipient of the prestigious Silver Circle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
Following his retirement from TV news, he founded Murray Media, a full-service video/HDTV production company.