The Fort Worth Chamberletter

The Fort Worth Chamber Nominating Committee puts forth the following community and business leaders as nominees for incoming directors to serve three-year terms beginning April 2013, which coincides with the Chamber’s fiscal year. The Nominating Committee consists of the present chair, president, past three chairs as well as three at-large members of the board with the immediate past chairman serving as chair of the committee.

If there are no signed petitions received from at least 25 Fort Worth Chamber members within 10 days of publication of this Chamberletter (by March 4, 2013), the aforementioned nominees, as presented by the Nominating Committee, will be elected to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors at the next board meeting April 18, 2013.

The Nominees are:

Judy Hunter, Vice President of Finance

Acme Brick Company

Brian Chase, Director, Internal Communications and Public Affairs

Bell Helicopter-Textron, Inc.

Bruce Benner, President and COO

Bennett Benner Pettit Architects + Planners

Steve Tatum, Managing Partner

Cantey Hanger LLP

Dee Kelly, Jr., Managing Partner

Kelly Hart & Hallman LLP

Andrew Ward, Associate Vice President

Mercantile Center

Robin Hamilton, Senior Vice President/Regional Manager

Wells Fargo – Sundance Square

Walter Amaya, Executive, Shop Operations

GE Manufacturing Solutions

Nathan Darst, Senior Vice President, Consumer Market Executive

Bank of America

Becky Redman, Director, Government Relations

Lockheed Martin

Tim Doke, Senior Vice President for Community Engagement

University of North Texas Health Science Center

Larry Anfin, President

Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth

The Fort Worth Chamber Nominating Committee puts forth the following community and business leaders as nominees for incoming directors to serve three-year terms beginning April 2012, which coincides with the Chamber’s fiscal year. The Nominating Committee consists of the present chair, president, past three chairs as well as three at-large members of the board with the immediate past chairman serving as chair of the committee.

If there are no signed petitions received from at least 25 Fort Worth Chamber members within 10 days of publication of this Chamberletter (by April 9, 2012), the aforementioned nominees, as presented by the Nominating Committee, will be elected to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors at the next board meeting April 19, 2012.

Nominees are:

Dale Kesteloot
Director of Operations
Sundance Square

Cindy Milrany
Chief Financial Officer
Freese and Nichols, Inc.

Riche Goode
Chief Financial Officer
Cook Children’s Health Care Systems

David White
President and CEO
First Command Bank

David Klein
Chief Operating Officer
Baylor All Saints Medical Center

Patty Williams
President
Roger Williams Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Sprinter/Airstream

Eric George
Senior Vice President, Supply Chain
DynCorp International

Patrick McFarlin
Manager of Operations
Jacobs

Mike Guyton
Vice President, Customer Relations
Oncor Electric Delivery

Tim Petrus
Acquisition Consultant
XTO Energy Inc.

Bob Ginsburg
Shareholder and Director
McDonald Sanders, P.C.

Brett McClung
President
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital

Jay Ewing
Manager, Completion/Construction
Devon Energy Corporation

Nina Hutton
Vice President, Environmental, Health and Safety
XTO Energy Inc.

Jill Goff
Executive Director
Goff Family Foundation

Dennis Weese
President and Chief Operating Officer
Cash America

Navigating today’s revenue-challenged conditions present local public and private sectors with the need for more courage than ever in identifying and meeting critical needs, says Daniel E. “Dan” Berce, CEO of General Motors Financial Company and new chairman of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors.

Joining Berce as officers on the board are Vice Chairman Whit Smith, president of The Whitney Smith Company, and Treasurer Tim Petrus, Acquisitions consultant for XTO Energy.

Partnerships — one of Fort Worth’s greatest strengths — will be essential in the coming year, said Berce, who shared other thoughts in a Chamberletter Q&A.

Q: What’s one of the best things about living in Fort Worth?

A: In many respects, Fort Worth is like a big small town.  We have all the amenities of a large urban area with our vibrant downtown, cultural district and local professional and college sports.  Yet Fort Worth has the feel of a smaller community with friendly people, ease of access and quality of life.

Q: What’s one tip on how to succeed as a CEO?

A: Success as a CEO or any leadership position for that matter involves hiring the right people, providing the necessary resources and then giving them the room to do their job and prosper.  CEOs are only as good as the people in their organization.

Q: What’s one of the Chamber’s toughest challenges?

A: Although the Fort Worth Chamber itself is privately funded, a challenge for any chamber today is that the public funding to support economic development, infrastructure and transportation, workforce and youth education among other needs of a growing city will be scarcer. Despite our stronger economies, the State of Texas and City of Fort Worth are subject to public funding constraints that could cause barriers to continued community economic growth.

Q: How will you focus your efforts on that challenge?

A: The Fort Worth Chamber will have to amplify its role as convener of collaborative partnerships between government, business and other parties to ensure resources are available to support important community needs.  Resources will not be available for every initiative, so the Chamber will have to work with the public and private sectors to prioritize and support the most critical needs.

Q: What’s one of the biggest challenges facing Fort Worth? What’s one solution the Chamber can offer?

A: Fort Worth, like other state and local government entities, faces budget shortfalls that won’t go away without taking some unpopular steps. The Chamber needs to encourage our state and local officials to make difficult decisions and provide for our city’s long-term economic viability.

Q: What do you hope most to accomplish as board chairman?

A: The Fort Worth Chamber has outstanding leadership and staff and enjoys strong involvement from the business community.  My role as board chairman is to support the great work the organization does.

Bio for Dan Berce

The Fort Worth Chamber Nominating Committee puts forth the following community and business leaders as nominees for incoming directors to serve three-year terms beginning April 1, which coincides with the Chamber’s fiscal year. The Nominating Committee consists of the present chair, president, past three chairs as well as three at-large members of the board with the immediate past chairman serving as chair of the committee.

If there are no signed petitions received from at least 25 Fort Worth Chamber members within 10 days of publication of the March Chamberletter (by March 6, 2011), the aforementioned nominees, as presented by the Nominating Committee, will be elected to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Mark Barfield
Vice President and Treasurer
RadioShack Corporation

Bill Burton
Senior Vice President, Marketing
Hillwood Properties

Kimberly Britton
Director of Community Relations
Chesapeake Energy

Kevin Cox
Vice President, State and Community Affairs
American Airlines

Craig Diebel
Vice President, Online
Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Jeff Fegan
CEO
DFW International Airport

Mason King
Vice President, Equity Research
Luther King Capital Management

Veronica Law
Shareholder
Decker Jones McMackin McClane Hall & Bates, P.C.

Merrick McCracken
Senior Vice President, Human Resources
Alcon Laboratories, Inc.

Charles Powell
President, Fort Worth Region
Bank of Texas

Karen Precella
Partner
Haynes and Boone, LLP

Todd Ritterbusch
CEO and President, Tarrant County
Chase

Karel Rucker
Owner
Mother Rucker’s Sweets

Curt Von der Ahe
Executive Vice President
Frost Bank

Wade Wallace
Banking Center President
Southwest Bank

Corrie Churchill Watson
Co-Owner
Frank Kent Motor Company

The Fort Worth Chamber Nominating Committee puts forth the following community and business leaders as nominees for incoming directors to serve three-year terms beginning April 1, which coincides with the Chamber’s fiscal year. The Nominating Committee consists of the present chair, president, past three chairs as well as three at-large members of the board with the immediate past chairman serving as chair of the committee.

If there are no signed petitions received from at least 25 Fort Worth Chamber members within 10 days of publication of the March Chamberletter (by March 9, 2009), the aforementioned nominees, as presented by the Nominating Committee, will be elected to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Neils Agather
Executive Director
The Burnett Foundation

Oscar L. Amparan, F.A.C.H.E.
President
Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth
Executive Vice President
Texas Health Resources

Johnny Campbell
President and CEO
Sundance Square Management

Stephen Lindsey
Director of Governmental Affairs
& Community Relations
Quicksilver Resources

Mike Flynn
President
Southland Property Tax Consultants, Inc.

Arnie Gachman
President
Gamtex Industries LP

Bob Jameson
President/General Manager
Renaissance Worthington Hotel

Steve Newton
President
Baylor Hospital

Tim McKinney
President and CEO
United Way of Metropolitan Tarrant County

Rick Merrill
President and CEO
Cook Children’s Medical Center

Lynn Montgomery
President
Plains Capital Bank, Camp Bowie

Larry Nelson
Vice President of Manufacturing
Justin Brands, Inc.

Lee Nicol
Partner
James R. Harris Partners L.L.C.

Bob Parmelee
Chairman
The T

Becky Renfro
Vice President
Renfro Foods

Craig Wall
Senior Vice President
Bank of America

Martha Williams
President
Williams Trew Real Estate

Roger Williams
Chairman
Roger Williams Auto Mall