Chamber honors members, volunteers
Annual dinner marks 90 years of service from the organization
POTTSTOWN >> What does it take to be successful? TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce members and guests heard Wednesday night about some of the attributes that make someone successful in life — and in business.
Nearly 200 people came together at the chamber’s annual dinner to mark the 90th anniversary of the organization which was started in 1927. The dinner is the highlight of the chamber’s program year, and included the annual “Chamber Stars” award winners — recognizing business, non-profit, volunteer and ambassador of the year.
Eileen Dautrich, president of the TriCounty Area Chamber, asked attendees to remain standing after the Pledge of Allegiance and to give themselves a round of applause for “your support in helping us make it to 90-years.”
In his remarks, keynote speaker Paul Butler challenged the group to begin to set the vision for the next 90 years.
“Look for ways to make a difference inside of this room and then carry it out to the community, because tomorrow the new 90 years begin and you get to craft the vision they’ll be celebrating one night in the future,” he said.
Butler has 27 years of experience in law enforcement where he has served as a training officer, crisis negotiator, chief of police and chief deputy. As chief deputy of the Horry County, S.C., Sheriff’s office he was selected to attend the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va. He continues to serve with the FBI National Academy Associates as their official Master
“If we do not share it with others, if we do not credit others, if we do not find ways to thank others — especially those who have been with us the whole time — then it’s all for nothing. The things you do for yourself die when you do. But the things that you do for others will live on forever.” — Paul Butler, keynote speaker, TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner
of Ceremonies.
Butler shared stories of growing up in rural South Carolina, stories about his family and his early days working for the small, Aynor, S.C., police force as he talked about leadership and success.
One of the stories he related was about asking one of his daughters who she thought was “the smartest man in America, ever.” Her answer — Albert Einstein.
“Albert Einstein said — I have no particular talent. I’m just passionately curious. That’s what we need to be to be a success,” Butler said. “I watched it with the people who were recognized here tonight. You are the ones who are passionately curious about what the future holds and what you can provide for someone other than yourself. That’s going to be the cornerstone of success.”
The 2017 Chamber Stars awards were presented to:
• CEDARVILLE Engineering Group LLC — Business/Enterprise of the Year
• Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board — Nonprofit Organization of the Year
• April Barkasi, CEO CEDARVILLE Engineering Group LLC — Volunteer of the Year
• Russell Lowe, Fraser Advanced Information Systems — Ambassador of the Year.
Butler said there are a couple of things that it takes to be successful: passion, pride and partnership.
“You have to be driven by something other than a paycheck or a promotion,” he said, adding that those who chase promotions and paychecks rarely deserve either. “It’s the ones who are performing day in and day out and they’re doing it because there’s something inside of them that drives them no matter what the paycheck says at the end of the week. It’s because they believe they can make a difference.”
On the issue of pride, Butler said some people consider pride a “dirty word.” He does not.
“Pride determines your product and your product has to be more than a thing — it has to be a feeling, the feeling of service that’s how you make the difference,” he said.
Butler added that sharing success with those around us is also a critical component.
“If we do not share it with others, if we do not
credit others, if we do not find ways to thank others — especially those who have been with us the whole time — then it’s all for nothing,” he said. “The things you do for yourself die when you do. But the things that you do for others will live on forever.”
Recognizing that volunteers have been and continue to be a key component of the success of the chamber, current chairman of the Board, Rich Graver of The Victory Bank recognized past members of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce chairmen of the board of directors including: Howard Kalis III (1978); David Specht (1990); Scott Detar (19971998); Brad Okoniewski (2008-2010); and Heather Chandler (2014-2016). In addition, Dautrich said that area police departments were invited to attend the dinner for a special recognition. Lower Pottsgrove and Pottstown each sent two officers — Sgt. Robert Greenwood and Sgt. William James from Lower Pottsgrove and Cpl. Brian Weitzel and Sgt. Edward Kropp, Jr. from Pottstown.