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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

Welcome from Presiden

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."

Mission Statement

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.

About the Chamber

2023 Board of Directors

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Meribeth Shimshack

President

WC Tractor

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Michelle Bobo

First Vice President

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Kathy Baldobino
Second Vice President
 

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Marilyn Bettes
Secretary

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Dr. Ronnie Gonzalez

Treasurer

Navasota ISD

Sharon Atkinson

Director

Bless Up Boutique

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Janice Scheve

Director

P. A. Smith Hotel

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Alan Shoalmire

Director

Grill Sergeant Hot Dogs

Patrick McMahon
Director

Edward Jones

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Chris Tucker

Director

Rail & Rye Restaurant

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Mac Vaughn
Director

W.H.E.E.L.S. Ministry

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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

Neal Wendele
Todd Mission Representative

Interested in joining our Board of Directors? Contact Us for more information!

Board of Directors

2023 Chamber Ambassadors

"An Ambassador's mission is to promote and advocate for members through positive public exposure"

Ana CosinoAmbassador Chair, The Navasota Examiner

Yolanda Fultz

Fultz Realty

Ex-Officio

Patty Whitney
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.

Ruby Evans

Individual

Bobby Gentry
Individual

Ethan Barcak
The NerdBee

Jimmy Donahoo
MHSC Energy Management

Suzan Sechelski

Masterbuilt Ministries

Bobbie Lehrmann

City of Navasota

Tanya Emanuel

Navasota Realty

Sherry Gillespie

Keller Williams Realty

Debbie Grimes 

Stonecroft Marketplace

Jill Conlin

Conlin Designs

Sidney Abney
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.

Maria Diosdado

Citizens State Bank

Kristi Tucker

Grimes Co. Deputy Constable Pct. 2

Maggie Rico

Citizens State Bank

Hunter Hogan
Brewer, Eyeington, Patout & Co.

Sarah Vacante

Frank's Towing & Repair

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

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Anne Marie
Wood

Administrative Assistant

assistant@navasotagrimeschamber.com

Chamber Staff
Open Positions
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