The Taft District Chamber of Commerce paid tribute to its past and looked optimistically to the future Thursday night.
The annual Chamber Installation Dinner was a 100th birthday celebration for the chamber and its three partners that have been with it since it was formed in January 1910 – the Midway Driller, Cavins Oil Well Tools and Chevron (then Standard Oil).
Chevron Valley Chief Executive Officer Neil Sawyer and Board member Vernon Powers accepted for the credit union. Jim Dawson, president of Cavins accepted on behalf of his firm and Publisher John Watkins accepted for the Midway Driller. Carla Musser accepted for Chevron.
The chamber also honored the businesses and individuals who have helped and the community.
The evening opened with keynote speaker George Martin, who talked of his experiences with the Bakersfield Business Conference and how he has learned from the people he has met through it and worked with.
Martin said the lessons from Bakersfield’s conference, one of the top events of its kind in the world, could apply here.
It started with an idea: “We are going to show that our community can do something as good or better than someplace else.”
Martin left the capacity crowd at O.T. Cookhouse with a message about the community.
“Taft, keep it the same or as close to the same as you can. Don’t try to be Santa Barbara, be Taft,” he said.
New Chamber Executive Director Fred Schell and incoming Board President Jan Ashley with talked optimistically about the future – but after Schell, aided by board member Dennis Schertz and Taft Mayor Dave Noerr, handed out numerous awards and letters of recognition.
Outgoing Board Member Susie Geiger was the top recipient. A former Chamber president, show is now president of the Kern County Board of Trade.
Taft Union High School teacher Bill Wolfe, who heads up the school’s AVID program, was recognized for his achievements. Oildorado President Eric Cooper and Vic Killingsworth, chairman of the Oilworker Monument Committee, were both recognized.
Chevron Valley Credit Union was recognized as Business of the Year.
Bob Colston was named Businessman of the Year and Vickie Gregory was named Businesswoman of the Year.
New board members Kathy Herm and Bob Hampton were introduced.
Former Executive Director Randy Miller was also honored.
“He set the bar so high I am honored you selected me to replace him,” Schell said
Ashley outlined some of the ideas that came from the annual board retreat.
