SHOW

Ticket sales start today for the 35th annual Tyler Area Builders Association’s Home Products Show set for Friday through Sunday at Harvey Convention Center in Tyler. From lighting to landscaping and paint to pools, the Home Products Show will feature more than 100 TABA members from every building specialty imaginable. Each display will offer demonstrations or a sampling of products along with expert advice. The event will be held 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday; and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $5 for adults and free for children 12 and younger. Tickets are available in advance at: Citizens National Bank, 2217 W. Grande Blvd.; TABA Office, 1504 W. Grande Blvd.; Kilgore National Bank, 16921 Farm-to-Market Road 2493, Flint; Granite Division, 3536 U.S. Highway 271 North; and Altra Federal Credit Union, 5523 Troup Highway. Adults may enter the Grand Prize drawing for a $1,000 prepaid Mastercard courtesy of Citizens National Bank. About 2,500 visitors attended the event last year. For more, contact the TABA office at 903-561-3964 or visit tylerareabuilders.com.

 

NEW BUSINESS

Diana Wilcoxson has expanded her upscale clothing and accessory boutique, Dazzlin’ Di’z, by renaming and rebranding the business as The Red Brick Quarters Boutique, LLC. Ms. Wilcoxson, and two local business associates, Bronnie Dugan and Marie Moreno, have converted the historic former Rose Dry Goods Building into the new home for the boutique, Painting at the Bricks and The Red Brick Tea Room. The Rose Dry Goods building is at 124 N. 4th St. in downtown Wills Point. The official grand opening and open house is set for March 3, but the boutique and Painting at the Bricks launched in time for Valentine’s Day. Painting classes are available at 7 p.m. each night from Tuesday through Saturday. The studio can accommodate up to 21 people and party packages are available. Ms. Moreno, who has been part of Ms. Wilcoxson’s boutique support staff, will assist managing the tea room. The menu will be overseen by ChefRaul Armas and will feature homemade soups and house specialty salads and sandwiches using local dairy and produce and a line of baby cakes. For more, visit facebook.com/ DazzlinDiz.

 

AWARD

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced Cynergy Technology as a winner in its annual Blue Ribbon Small Business Awards, a program that recognizes companies for their success and innovation and for their contributions to economic growth and free enterprise. Cynergy Technology opened in 1981 as ComputerLand in Tyler. It was selected from a record number of applicants from communities across the nation for demonstrating exceptional business practices in areas including strategic planning, employee development, community involvement and customer service. The Chamber will announce seven regional finalists from the winners on March 18 and honor all of the winners at the 11th annual America’s Small Business Summit June 8 to 10 in Washington D.C. One regional finalist will receive the Dream Big Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club, and a $10,000 cash prize from the U.S. Chamber. All Blue Ribbon Small Business Award winners are also eligible for the Community Excellence Award, which recognizes one business that has found notable success in the eyes of its community. The winner will be decided through online public voting between Feb. 19 and March 4.

 

COALITION DAY

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce is holding East Texas Coalition Day in Austin, which started Sunday and continues through Tuesday, to meet with appointed and elected officials in conjunction with the upcoming state legislative session. This special event provides an opportunity for the business men and women of the Tyler area to meet and discuss issues and legislation with the officials. This session we will be hosting several functions with the communities of Longview and Kilgore, as well as other East Texas cities in an effort to show unity in East Texas. 

 

ANNIVERSARY

On Jan. 27, the Texas Legislature approved two resolutions to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the professional practice of accounting in Texas and to honor the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy (TSBPA) and the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA). Attending an event to mark the occasion were: Mark Lee, chairman TSCPA; Coalter Baker, assistant presiding officer TSBPA; Allyson Baumeister, chairman elect TSCPA; Tom Prothro, of Tyler, presiding officer TSBPA; Joe Straus, speaker of the house; and John Otto, Texas State representative, District 18.

 

BOARD MEMBERS

East Texas Communities Foundation announced the appointment of three board members; Gordon Northcutt and Gregory Wright, of Longview, and Shannon Glenney, of Tyler. Northcutt will take on the role of board chairman for outgoing chairwoman, Shannon Dacus, who will remain on the board as immediate past chair. Northcutt, who has served since 2006 on the ETCF board, is vice president and trust officer for Citizen’s National Bank in Longview. Wright, a native of Longview, graduated from McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas. Ms. Glenney is a community volunteer serving on the boards of Pine Cove and Trinity Mother Francis Women’s Board.

 

RECOGNIZED

Approximately 175 legislators, elected officials, business and civic leaders joined in Austin for the bi-annual East Texas Reception hosted by ETCOG (East Texas Council of Governments) on behalf of the County Judges and Commissioners Association. The reception honors legislators while they are in session, shares priorities important to the region, and honors a legislator of the year. Representative Chris Paddie, of Marshall, was recognized as the Legislator of the Year. He was nominated by a survey of the general public and selected by the ETCOG Chief Elected Officials Board.

 

ELECTED

Roe Buckley was elected to the Board of Directors of Citizens 1st Bank. Buckley is chairman of the board and chief financial officer of Mewbourne Oil Co. He is a former chairman of the Texas Oil and Gas Association and of the U.S. Oil and Gas Association. He is a graduate of The University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.

 

VP

Teresa Harper was named vice president of Southside Bank. Ms. Harper has over 35 years of banking experience and began her career at Southside in 2009 as deposit operations analyst. She now works as a business analyst for the Information Technology department.

 

REALTORS

Fred and Kathryn Worthen started their real estate business, Fred Worthen and Associates Real Estate, in 1972 in Flint/Gresham. Worthen became instrumental in developing real estate and mineral land man programs at Tyler Junior College, where he taught for nearly 20 years. After purchasing a Century 21 franchise, he moved to Tyler and operated that business for 23 years. After a heart attack, Worthen downsized to a smaller office at 2001 Rickety Lane. Worthen and his wife of 59 years are inviting the public to come by and meet the agents at Worthen Realty Group. For more, call 903-581-4614.

 

PRESENTATION

Dayne Kelley , general manager of Raising Cane’s in Tyler, presented Pets Fur People representatives with checks totaling $998.63. The fundraiser was made possible by the Louisiana-based chain’s Plush Puppy campaign. Customers were invited to purchase Plush Puppies during the holiday season, with 100 percent of net proceeds donated to pet welfare organizations in each of Raising Cane’s local communities. The Louisiana-based chain has consistently been named one of the “Best Companies to Work For” in communities throughout its system. 

 

AFTER HOURS

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at The Waterpark @ the Villages, 18270 Singing Wood Lane in Flint.

 

MIXER

Altra Federal Credit Union will host a free Home Buying After Hours Mixer from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on March 24 at One Realtor Center, at 2772 SSE Loop 323. Attendees will receive a home buying guide and a coupon worth $300 off closing costs or a $300 Visa Gift card at closing from Altra. They will have the opportunity to register for door prizes, including a flat screen TV. Refreshments and appetizers will be provided. Register at www.altra.org.

 

SHOWCASE

The Lindale Area Business Showcase will be from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. March 5. The free showcase is open to the public and includes lunch at noon. It is an opportunity for the public to see their options of services and products that can be found in and around Lindale. For more, email Holly@ProgressRocks.com or call 903-780-7969.

 

SEMINAR

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and Core insights will hold a critical thinking seminar from 8:30 a.m. to noon on March 31 at the Rose Garden Center. The event will cost $85 for chamber members and $100 for non-members. Topics will include the role of critical thinking in your business, how to think critically, how to prompt others to think critically and how to build a critical thinking culture.

 

DONATION

Through weekly contributions, truck drivers and other employees of Averitt Express, which serves the Tyler area, raised a total of $450,000 in 2014, which was recently donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Since 1986, Averitt Cares for Kids, the company’s charitable employee-giving program, has contributed nearly $7.5 million to children-related charities, including the Shriners Burn Institute and Ronald McDonald House.

 

AWARD

McKaig Chevrolet Buick was awarded a 2015 DealerRater Consumer Satisfaction Award, a recognition auto dealerships earn by delivering outstanding customer service as rated by online consumer reviews. DealerRater, the car dealer review site for consumers, created the Consumer Satisfaction Awards to enable online car shoppers to instantly spot car dealerships that provide high-quality customer service. McKaig Chevrolet Buick has been in business since 1931, and has been owned and operated by the Abernathy brothers since the mid-1990s.

 

GRANTS

TransCanada Pipelines USA is offering grants to East Texas Nonprofit Organizations through the TransCanada Charitable Fund at East Texas Communities Foundation. The TransCanada Charitable Fund makes grants in support of strong projects based on good ideas and compelling needs which have the potential to improve communities and the lives of the people living in them. Funding is offered in the East Texas counties traversed by TransCanada pipeline operations and projects, which currently include Angelina, Chambers, Cherokee, Delta, Fannin, Franklin, Hardin, Harris, Hopkins, Jefferson, Lamar, Liberty, Nacogdoches, Polk, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Wood Counties. Applicants must be tax-exempt 501(c) (3) organizations or government entities. Services must be available to citizens of the community without regard to race or religion. The TransCanada Charitable Fund encourages grant requests up to $5,000 for projects and programs in the following areas: community, safety and environment. For more, visit etcf.org.

 

MIXER

The Tyler4Tech Networking Mixer and SXSW Send-Off Party will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. March 5 at Coyote Sam’s, 5224 Old Jacksonville Highway. RSVP preferred: info@Tyler4Tech.com.

 

SUMMIT

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Tyler Economic Development Council, City of Tyler and several other sponsors will host the Tyler Area Energy Summit on March 30. Speakers will include Dr. Paul Tanaka, Exxon Mobil Corporate Strategic Planning; Dr. Bernard Weinstein, Maguire Energy Institute at the SMU Cox School of Business; and Dr. Tom Tunstall, UT San Antonio Institute for Economic Development. The event will review global and domestic energy markets and the effect of oil and gas prices, geopolitical issues and the energy markets, issues and updates on the export of light crude, LNG issues and progress to date and Northeast Texas energy related economy and job market. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the UT Tyler Ornelas Activity Center.

 

LUNCHEON

The Tyler Economic Development Council’s 26th annual Investors & Contributors Appreciation Luncheon is set for April 2 at the UT Tyler Ornelas Activity Center from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $25 per person or $200 for a table of eight. For more, contact Stephanye Petree at spetree@tylertexas.com or call 903-593-2004, ext. 245.

 

EVENT

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and City of Tyler Parks and Recreation will host the ninth annual Seniors Celebrating Life event from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 2 at Harvey Convention Center. This year’s theme is Surfin’ Up Fun. The event is designed for interaction and education, is free and includes lunch with entertainment. Breakout sessions will be held on gardening, safety tips, staying fit, financial matters, volunteering and Medicaid and Medicare updates. It will be a proactive event for participating businesses by providing a setting for educating potential consumers about services and products available in the Tyler area.

 

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