Bonham -- The theme was "Focus on the Future, Honor the Past" at the Annual Banham Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet held Saturday, February 2.
Following a delicious dinner served by Cappy's, John Farris, chairman of the Bonham Chamber, took a moment to offer insight about plans for the year ahead.
Then it was time to recognize the Bonham Chamber's Volunteer of the Year, Agriculturist of the Year, Business of the Year, Public Servant of the Year and Citizen of the Year.
This year's Volunteer of the Year Award went to organizations which volunteer countless hours to make the annual Autumn in Bonham Bike Rally a success: Fannin County Amateur Radio Club, Kiwanis Club of Bonham, Bonham Lions Club, Bonham Rotary Club, Motorcycle Escort Group, Chi Lambda, Fannin County Baptist Churches and Sally Simpson, one of the event founders.
Agriculture was an $89 million business in Fannin County in 2012 with farming and ranching at the epicenter of Fannin County industry. Bailey, Texas resident Wayne Burns was named the Bonham Chamber's Agriculturist of the Year for 2012.
This year's Business of the Year has grown from nine employees to more than 100 employees with two locations in Bonham. The Bonham Chamber's 2012 Business of the Year is Bonham Chrysler.
The Bonham Chamber named Darrell Brewer as the 2012 Public Servant of the Year. Mr. Brewer is the Fannin County Emergency Management Coordinator
The highlight of this annual event is always the naming of the Citizen of the Year. This year's award winner operates a local business, is a member of the Bonham Chamber and Bonham Lions Club, plus he was instrumental in planning the wildly successful Festival of Flight held at Jones Field this past fall. The Bonham Chamber's 2012 Citizen of the Year is Stephen Murden.
