Ramey, Lundstrum honored at annual Chamber banquet
The Siloam Springs Chamber of Commerce held its annual chamber banquet on Thursday at Camp Siloam.
Attendees for the banquet included Mayor Judy Nation, City Administrator Phillip Patterson, State Representative Delia Haak (R-17) and Miss Arkansas Ebony Mitchell.
During the banquet, former Superintendent Ken Ramey was announced as the 2023 Pioneer Citizen and State Representative Robin Lundstrum (R-18) was chosen as the Outstanding Civic Leader for 2023.
WELCOME TO THE BANQUET
State Senator Tyler Dees (R-35) served as emcee for the evening. Dees said it was an honor to serve the citizens of Siloam Springs in Little Rock.
“You hear people recognizing not only Northwest Arkansas but specifically Siloam Springs and this area,” Dees said. “You guys are doing amazing things with your businesses, with your nonprofits, with your organizations, and those stories one little step at a time.”
Dees also said he represents people who honor the Lord, serve people well, and bring excellence into everything they do. Dees then said the chamber will honor two people who are at the forefront of doing exactly that.
ANNUAL AWARDS
Dees then introduced past Chamber Board Chair Cammi Hevener. Hevener spoke about being a chamber ambassador for the past seven years and was also there to recognize the Moose Van Poucke Volunteer of the Year Award.
This year’s Moose Van Poucke Volunteer of the Year Award went to Van Poucke’s daughter Patti Eiland, which Hevener said made it extra special.
“I was very blessed to have two parents that decided that Siloam Springs was pretty special,” Eiland said. “And that to keep it pretty special, they needed to invest their time and their talents into the community.”
Eiland said her parents did it in many different ways and capacities, which made her want to volunteer also.
Next the winner of the Jerry Cavness Non-Profit Award was announced. This year’s award went
to Camp Siloam. This year’s 2023 Diamond members were Black Hills Energy, Edward Jones and McKee Foods.
PASSING THE BATON
Hevener then came back up to introduce Tim Estes as the next Chamber Board chairman and pass the baton to him. Estes thanked everyone for the incredible privilege to lead the chamber board. He also acknowledged Hulbert and Hevener for their roles in making the chamber a success.
“I feel exceptionally blessed to stand here tonight,” Estes said.
Estes also thanked the chamber board as well as Nation and Patterson. He also congratulated Ramey and Lundstrum. Then Estes emphasized the “Three B’s” regarding chamber awareness.
The first “B” was benefits and Estes said he hopes everyone has their chamber card so they can get savings at local businesses. Estes’ second “B” stood for belonging, he said.
“The Chamber of Commerce is far more than a business,” Estes said. It is really friends doing business with friends.”
Estes said the last “B” was the betterment of the community. Estes said the chamber was successful in bringing new businesses into the city and the Dogwood Festival translates to thousands of dollars from visitors and residents alike.
OUTSTANDING CIVIC LEADER
Following Estes’ speech Lundstrum spoke about being the recipient of the Outstanding Civic Leadership award. Lundstrum said she was surprised when Hulbert called her and told her she won the award.
Lundstrum said Siloam Springs reminded her of when George Washington was sworn in as president. When it came time for the swearing-in and Washington was to put his left hand on the Bible, he opened it to Deuteronomy 28, which spoke of the blessings God would bestow on the nation of Israel if they followed the Lord and placed his hand on the chapter, Lundstrum said.
Siloam Springs exemplifies this verse, Lundstrum said. She gave examples like the man whose door she knocked on for the third time who gave her a bottle of water, to meetings of the city board, and chamber of commerce, and city government which begin with a word of prayer.
“I watch your respect for God show in everyday actions,” Lundstrum said. “I’ve borne witness to how you treat one another in your charity, towards the homeless, towards the needy, but also in the way you treat one another.”
Siloam Springs welcomes all people, and treats them like family, Lundstrum said. She also spoke about Ramey and how he used to call her in the morning when she was getting ready to discuss school legislation.
Lundstrum concluded her speech by saying that Siloam Springs is similar to a southern home in a Norman Rockwell painting and that even though she is no longer Siloam Springs’ representative, she still prays for the city.
STATE OF THE CHAMBER
Hulbert then spoke about the chamber’s activities for 2022. According to the statistics provided by the chamber, they had in 2022:
• 513 members
• 64 new memberships
• Over 20,000 employees represented.
• 14 new businesses started at the chamber.
• Over 50,000 visitors to the Dogwood Festival.
• 70 network events hosted.
• 3,846 networking event attendees.
• 17 ribbon cuttings hosted.
• 57,000 newsletters sent.
•$2,850 in scholarships raised.
• 37,000 Siloam chamber website visitors.
• 13,800 social media followers.
• Over 1,200 economic development hours.
• Over 43,000 Discover Siloam visitors.
• 185,000 social media impressions.
Hulbert also spoke about the Makerspace which has laser engravers, plasma cutters, and 3-D printers. Hulbert also spoke about how visionaries like Don Tyson and Sam Walton have started the Northwest Council which consists of Fayetteville, Springdale, Bentonville, Lowell and Rogers, which Siloam Springs has a voice on.
He then said he is working to start the Western County Partnership which will consist of Siloam Springs, Gentry, Decatur, Gravette and Sulphur Springs.
The purpose of the Western County Partnership is to strengthen the western part of Benton County and meet needs that have not been met, Hulbert said.
“Our community has a great business community spirit of entrepreneurial wisdom and innovation,” Hulbert said.
Hulbert also mentioned how Lori Tudor the director of the Arkansas of Transportation was supposed to speak at the chamber banquet but was unable to make it due to road conditions.
Tudor recorded a video that was played following Hulbert’s speech. After the video, Mary Nolan, the 2022 Pioneer Citizen introduced Ramey.
WORDS FROM THE PIONEER CITIZEN
Ramey said he was surprised to receive the Pioneer Citizen award and thanked everyone for the award.
“That was certainly kinder than I deserve,” Ramey said. “I am very humbled by this award.”
Ramey spoke about the past winners saying that they were very deserving and wonderful contributors. Ramey also said he had a full career and how he always tried to make decisions to put children first.
“My love for children knows no bounds,” Ramey said. “(I) always try to make decisions that always put children first, always considered them to be mine, if you would.”
He called his passion for putting kids first a labor of love and said he was very humbled to do work in Siloam Springs.
Siloam Springs ended up being Ramey’s eighth school district and he had plenty of experiences in the culture of different communities which taught him what worked and what didn’t, he said.
“I was always an observer to how could we do something and make it better,” Ramey said.
Ramey also said he believes that any business, organization or nonprofit either gets better or diluted. Ramey spoke about getting the opportunity to become superintendent of the Siloam Springs School District and how he knew Siloam Springs was a working class community which appreciates people going the extra mile.
As the first one at work and usually the last one to leave, Ramey said he was determined not to fail for a lack of working hard. Ramey also spoke about how the district went 10 years without having a staff turnover.
“You can build stability in an organization when you commit yourself to people who stay in there,” Ramey said.
He spoke about passing the first millage in 2004 which gave them the funds to build Allen Elementary and passing two other millages.
“It’s very difficult to ask people reach in your pocket and pay taxes,” Ramey said. “But we were able to have a strong response from that first millage. We were able to build.”
Ramey said he was proud of the high school saying it changed the game for education in Northwest Arkansas and of winning Superintendent of the Year in 2017.
The bottom line Ramey said is this is a wonderful community and he is really proud that the school district did its part in helping to be everything it can.
After Ramey spoke Dees, Haak and Nation issued proclamations to Lundstrum and Ramey.