This year, the Chamber of Commerce recognized John Happ as the Volunteer of the Year, and Jim Singleton and Stephanie Sale as the Citizens of the Year.  Also recognized for his contributions to the Chamber was Mike Connor, who was named as Ambassador of the Year.

John Happ is currently the director of the Easterwood Airport in College Station.  Happ graduated from Texas A&M, and enrolled in the Air Force.  After a long and distinguishing career, Happ retired with the rank of Colonel.  Happ served in the role as a professor of Aerospace Studies for the Corps of Cadets and ROTC program on Texas A&M’s campus, before being named the director of the airport.  Happ has also served as a councilmember for College Station.  Happ is being recognized as volunteer of the year for serving as chair on the Chamber’s Transportation Committee, co-chair on the Economic Outlook Committee, participating on the Legislative Affairs Committee, as well as volunteering for many other Chamber events.  Also a factor in considering Happ for the honor was his involvement with many other community projects or organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Brazos Valley Food Bank, and the Council of Government’s Transportation Committee.

For the second year in a row, the Chamber will honored two persons as Co-Citizens of the Year.  Jim Singleton and Stephanie Sale have made a handful of contributions to the Bryan/College Station area as individuals, but as a married couple, they have made even bigger impact.  Jim graduated from Texas A&M and ventured into the architecture field.  Jim’s work on buildings can be seen all over the state, from small businesses to hospitals and schools.  Jim has donated much of his architecture firm’s time and services to help develop new locations for non-profit organizations such as the Brazos Valley African American Museum, The Arts Center, and the new Twin City Mission shelter.  Jim’s firm also helped design the Brazos County Expo Complex, which is set to begin expansion soon.  Jim is also a big advocate of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, and claims one of the finest moments of his life was when he guest conducted the orchestra’s playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” to open the symphony season.  Stephanie Sale has family roots in Bryan dating back at least three generations.  Stephanie’s parents owned the local Coca-Cola distribution warehouse for many years, and made many contributions towards the development of Bryan and College Station.  After living in Quebec for 20 years, Stephanie returned to the Brazos Valley where she began putting her artistic touch on many projects and organizations she worked with.  Stephanie is a big advocate of expanding the fine arts in the Brazos Valley, and has volunteered time and money to organizations such as MSC OPAS and the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley.  A small park was recently dedicated to her parents in Downtown Bryan, and she was instrumental in working with the group that organized the “Lights On” ceremony last Christmas.  Jim and Stephanie have been married for 12 years and reside in Bryan.

As a non-profit organization, the Chamber relies on volunteers which it calls “Ambassadors” to foster new relationships with businesses, recruit new members, and maintain relationships with existing members (among other duties).  An ambassador volunteers their own time away from their own job to assist the Chamber in this role.  The Chamber recognized Mike Connor as its Ambassador of the Year Monday evening.  Mike is employed by BTU (Bryan Texas Utilities), and has been volunteering with the Chamber for more than four years.

This year, the Chamber of Commerce recognized John Happ as the Volunteer of the Year, and Jim Singleton and Stephanie Sale as the Citizens of the Year.  Also recognized for his contributions to the Chamber was Mike Connor, who was named as Ambassador of the Year.

John Happ is currently the director of the Easterwood Airport in College Station.  Happ graduated from Texas A&M, and enrolled in the Air Force.  After a long and distinguishing career, Happ retired with the rank of Colonel.  Happ served in the role as a professor of Aerospace Studies for the Corps of Cadets and ROTC program on Texas A&M’s campus, before being named the director of the airport.  Happ has also served as a councilmember for College Station.  Happ is being recognized as volunteer of the year for serving as chair on the Chamber’s Transportation Committee, co-chair on the Economic Outlook Committee, participating on the Legislative Affairs Committee, as well as volunteering for many other Chamber events.  Also a factor in considering Happ for the honor was his involvement with many other community projects or organizations, such as the Boy Scouts of America, the Brazos Valley Food Bank, and the Council of Government’s Transportation Committee.

For the second year in a row, the Chamber will honored two persons as Co-Citizens of the Year.  Jim Singleton and Stephanie Sale have made a handful of contributions to the Bryan/College Station area as individuals, but as a married couple, they have made even bigger impact.  Jim graduated from Texas A&M and ventured into the architecture field.  Jim’s work on buildings can be seen all over the state, from small businesses to hospitals and schools.  Jim has donated much of his architecture firm’s time and services to help develop new locations for non-profit organizations such as the Brazos Valley African American Museum, The Arts Center, and the new Twin City Mission shelter.  Jim’s firm also helped design the Brazos County Expo Complex, which is set to begin expansion soon.  Jim is also a big advocate of the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, and claims one of the finest moments of his life was when he guest conducted the orchestra’s playing of the “Star Spangled Banner” to open the symphony season.  Stephanie Sale has family roots in Bryan dating back at least three generations.  Stephanie’s parents owned the local Coca-Cola distribution warehouse for many years, and made many contributions towards the development of Bryan and College Station.  After living in Quebec for 20 years, Stephanie returned to the Brazos Valley where she began putting her artistic touch on many projects and organizations she worked with.  Stephanie is a big advocate of expanding the fine arts in the Brazos Valley, and has volunteered time and money to organizations such as MSC OPAS and the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley.  A small park was recently dedicated to her parents in Downtown Bryan, and she was instrumental in working with the group that organized the “Lights On” ceremony last Christmas.  Jim and Stephanie have been married for 12 years and reside in Bryan.

As a non-profit organization, the Chamber relies on volunteers which it calls “Ambassadors” to foster new relationships with businesses, recruit new members, and maintain relationships with existing members (among other duties).  An ambassador volunteers their own time away from their own job to assist the Chamber in this role.  The Chamber recognized Mike Connor as its Ambassador of the Year Monday evening.  Mike is employed by BTU (Bryan Texas Utilities), and has been volunteering with the Chamber for more than four years.