The program began with the welcome by Chamber of Commerce President, Lewain Learned to the crowd of close to 100 in attendance. Learned introduced special guests Kay/Noble County District Attorney Brian Hermanson and Pat Brand, Billings Town Council member. Karen Culp led the flag salute and Pastor Kendon Mulanax gave the invocation blessing the program and the dinner. The dinner was a wonderfully abundant assortment of side dishes and desserts provided by those attending, to compliment the meat entrees prepared by Chamber members Mel and Mark Branson, Andrew and Beth Bierig, Pat Oller, and Candy Oller, and homemade dinner rolls provided by Regina Sharp.
Alyssa Hope Baker, a Northern Oklahoma College sophomore student, provided the very enjoyable entertainment for the evening. Alyssa accompanied herself on the keyboard and sang a wonderful variety of songs, including some original songs she has written and plans to record on an album soon. Alyssa is also a member of the traveling NOC Roustabouts musical group. Beth and Andrew Bierig created a “2019 Year in Review Slideshow” highlighting 2019 Chamber events which could be viewed on a large screen during the dinner.
Following the entertainment, Karen Culp, Beth Bierig, and Candy Oller read nomination summaries for the Special Volunteer Recipient awards presented by President Learned. Special award certificates were presented to Employee of the Year-Linda Stoll, Owner/Operator of The Store on Broadway, Business of the Year-Brown Dugger Funeral Home, and the Lifetime Service Award to H.B. Evans. H.B. received a standing ovation for his many, many years of service to the Billings Chamber of Commerce, the Billings Community, the State of Oklahoma and the United States of America as a WWII Veteran.
Following the Special Awards presentations, Candy Oller asked all past Citizen of the Year recipients in attendance to stand and introduce themselves and to state the year they were selected. Those in attendance were H.B. Evans-1991, Kevin & Linda Stoll-2005, Delbert & Mary Lou Foltz-2009, Pat Brand-2011, Frances Moss-2013, Eileen Learned-2014, Clint & Candy Oller-2015, Lynn Wright-2016, and Beth & Andrew Bierig-2018. Also, in attendance was 2001 & 2013 Billings Community Appreciation Award Recipient Kay Evans from Garber, OK who had chaired the Billings Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year event for many years before retiring.
Candy Oller then presented the criteria nomination process for 2019 Citizen of the Year award and introduced COY nominees Melinda & Mark Branson, Karen Culp, and Karen Odenwald. Past Citizen ...
