Welcome from the Board President
Welcome to 2023! This is the 107th year that the Navasota Grimes County Chamber of Commerce has been serving the area.
I see the future bright for 2023. We have seen more families and businesses move to Grimes County in the past 2 years, and 2023 will continue that trend.
The Chamber is starting the New Year with great changes. I am pleased to announce that we have a new Executive Director, Lucy Ybarra. As this year's Board President, I am ecstatic to have her join our organization and grateful to be surrounded by a wonderful board of directors, ambassadors and Chamber associates that have a shared vision for relevance and growth in this ever-changing environment.
Our call for community action and to serve others is deeply rooted in all who are associated with the Chamber of Commerce. A quote from Helen Keller "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." We encourage you to join us in service with your membership, support, expertise, and participation. This year we will have multiple opportunities for you to work with us, or if you haven't yet- join us as a Chamber partner.
Grimes County represents local businesses, both big and small- as well as businesses that support commerce all around the world. While we may be a rural community- our vision is wide. We strongly support commerce and a happy, healthy way of life here!
Meribeth Shimshack
Board President 2023
Navasota Grimes County Chamber of Commerce
Our Mission Statement
"The mission of the Navasota Grimes County Chamber of Commerce is to be an association of businesses and individuals organized to encourage a strong local economy and quality of life by promoting economic, civic, cultural and social development through an informed membership and community."
About The Chamber
The Navasota Grimes County Chamber of Commerce was chartered on March 6, 1916, by then Secretary of State, John G. McKay.
It began when nine civic-minded residents decided the community would benefit with a Chamber of Commerce to establish and maintain uniformity in the commercial usage of cities and towns to acquire, preserve and disseminate valuable business information, adopt rules, regulations and standards of classification to govern all transactions connected with the cotton trade, and other commodities where standards and classifications are required, generally to promote the interest of trade and increase facilities of commercial transactions and to develop and extend agricultural, industrial, commercial and civic resources of the City of Navasota, Grimes County and the State of Texas.
The names of those nine individuals are familiar to even present-day residents of Grimes County, for they left their mark indelibly in the community. They were J.N. Baylor, J.W. Brosig, C.C. Camp, J.T. Evans, H.H. Knox, Ewing Norwood, R.A. Patout, Ward Templeman and E.H. Terrell.
Ward Templeman served as the first President of the Chamber, serving for four consecutive years through 1919. Betty Jane Burlin was the first woman to serve as President when she took office on January 1979.
2023 Board of Directors
Meribeth Shimshack
President
WC Tractor
Michelle Bobo
First Vice President
Kathy Baldobino
Second Vice President
Marilyn Bettes
Secretary
Dr. Ronnie Gonzalez
Treasurer
Navasota ISD
Sharon Atkinson
Director
Bless Up Boutique
Janice Scheve
Director
P. A. Smith Hotel
Alan Shoalmire
Director
Grill Sergeant Hot Dogs
Patrick McMahon
Director
Edward Jones
Chris Tucker
Director
Rail & Rye Restaurant
Mac Vaughn
Director
W.H.E.E.L.S. Ministry
Patty Whitney
Director
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout
Joe Fauth
County Representative
Karen McDuffie
Anderson Representative
Karen Hale
Plantersville Representative
Christina Stover
Iola Representative
Rayna Teicheira
Navasota Representative
Gwen Boullion
Bedias Representative
Neil Wendele
Todd Mission Representative
Interested in joining our Board of Directors? Contact Us for more information!
2023 Chamber Ambassadors
"An Ambassador's mission is to promote and advocate for members through positive public exposure"
Ana Cosino
Ambassador Chair
The Navasota Examiner
Yolanda Fultz
Fultz Realty
Ex-Officio
Patty Whitney
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.
Ruby Evans
Individual
Tanya Emanuel
Navasota Realty
Ethan Barcak
The NerdBee
Jimmy Donahoo
MHSC Energy Management
Suzan Sechelski
Masterbuilt Ministries
Bobby Gentry
Individual
Sherry Gillespie
Keller Williams Realty
Bobbie Ullrich
City of Navasota
Sidney Abney
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.
Kristi Tucker
Grimes Co. Deputy Constable Pct. 2
Hunter Hogan
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.
Melanie Nixon
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.
Sheryl Borski
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.
Angela Scurlock
The Navasota Examiner
For more information about the Navasota Grimes County Chamber Ambassador Program, click here.
Chamber Staff
Lucy
Ybarra
Executive Director
Anne Marie
Wood
Administrative Assistant