Man and Woman of the Year 2020 Mark Barr and Joan Beil
The Big Spring Area Chamber of Commerce has officially announced the Man and Woman of the Year 2020 – Mark Barr and Joan Beil.
The 2020 Woman of the Year, Joan Beil, has been making an impact on Big Spring and Howard County for almost 60 years now. Beil and her late husband Charles, moved from Oklahoma City to Big Spring 58 years ago.
While Beil was raising her three daughters, she also taught piano lessons. She also volunteered her time to numerous organizations around town. She was the children’s choir teacher at the United Methodist Church of Big Spring, a member of the Chancel Choir at UMC, part of the Hyperion Club, Music Club and United Methodist Woman. In addition to her own volunteer efforts, she joined with her husband to achieve the vision for a better community. The couple would attend Rotary events, even though at the time Rotary was an all male organization. She shared her piano talents with the organization by playing during the weekly meetings.
In addition to serving on existing organizations, she played a vital role in helping to establish and launch new ones. She was intimately involved in the successful establishment of the Big Spring Area Community Foundation which has proven to be a vital part of the continuing health and future growth of Big Spring.
Beil’s love for music not only flowed through her home, but out into the community. Her love for music and her desire to grant access to the community to cultural events, she took on the role of President for the Big Spring Symphony Board for two years. It was a challenge, but under her leadership and hard work, the organization thrived financially which translated into the board putting together several successful symphony productions each year for the city.
Beil and her husband have three daughters, Beverly Newsom of Austin; Brenda Payne of Houston; and Charlotte Wilhoit of Atlanta, Georgia.
“She is just so precious and lights up the room when she walks in. The Holy Spirit exudes from every pore,” one of Beil's friends stated.
The 2020 Man of the Year, Mark Barr, is a Howard County resident born and raised. He was a 1968 Coahoma graduate. He served as Class President, played football and was captain his senior year and a member of the track team.
In addition to his athletic and academic accomplishments in high school, he was involved with the Howard County 4-H Club. He graduated from Tarleton State University in 1972. After college he moved back to Howard County, but soon left to answer a call from his aunt to farm in Gaines County. He farmed in Gaines County for 27 years, and during that time he met and married the love of his life, Stacy. The couple moved back to Big Spring in 2002.
Community involvement was one of the first steps Barr and his wife took upon returning to Howard County. Barr and his wife began their involvement with the Big Spring State Hospital Volunteer Services Council and hosted the Denim and Diamonds Street dance in front of their house for two years, which eventually evolved into Cars, Stars, and Handlebars. Since it's beginning the event has raised more than $300,000 for the patients at BSSH.
Barr has served on the Howard County Fair Board, member of the Howard County Farm Bureau Board, member of the Howard County Appraisal Board and the Big Spring Cowboy Reunion and Rodeo board. He is also a member of the Big Spring Rotary Club and serves Meals on Wheels every Monday for the club. He is also an active member of First United Methodist Church serving as the Administrative Council Chair. He enjoys hunting and the preservation of wildlife and nature.
Barr served as Howard County Judge for eight years and served on the Permian Basin Region Planning Task Force, The West Texas County Judge and County Commissioners Association and left serving as Vice President.
Barr and his wife have two children; one son Stewart and his wife Stephanie from Frisco and grandsons Erik and Brandon; and one daughter Andrea and husband Rob from Alpine.
The Man and Woman of the Year will once again be recognized during the Virtual Big Spring Chamber of Commerce Business Expo on Feb. 11 at 1:30 p.m.