C&S, Inc. presented President’s Award
The Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Banquet on Thursday, Jan. 10 at the Historic Yam Theatre in downtown Portales. The Chamber celebrated its local stars during the movie themed night “Portales Goes Hollywood.”
C&S, Inc. was awarded the President’s Award as Business of the Year by outgoing President Noelle Bartl. The company recently celebrated 80 years in business in Portales. Mike Stratton, along with his daughters Alyssa Idsinga and April Rutter and Tire Shop manager Victor Ramirez accepted the award.
Jennifer Hardin received the Workhorse of the Year Award for her balancing act of devoting time to Chamber Ambassadors, Altrusa and Portales MainStreet. Executive Director Karl Terry presented the award.
Ambassador President Casey Peacock received the Ambassador of the Year Award based on attendance at events through the year. She was the Workhorse of the Year in 2017. Incoming President and 2018 Ambassador of the Year Patsy Jimenez presented the award.
Three Harley & Faye Borden awards were given out based on upgrades to the outside appearance of a business. Those awards went to the entire Max & June Merrick family of Enchantment Vineyards, store manager Martin Delgado of Farmer’s Country Market and owner Edward Lowman of Signman Signs. Board member Kathy Mead presented the awards.
Emcee Don Thomas presented a program on movie trivia and a name-that-tune contest using movie themes as the program while the crowd dined on braised beef short ribs.
Bartl passed the gavel to Jimenez who ended the program with her address about keeping the Chamber young and vital.
The scripts from each presentation are provided below:
Harley & Faye Borden Awards
Presented by Kathy Mead
Since 1979 the Chamber has recognized businesses who have significantly improved the outward appearance of their business in the past year. This recognition is called the Harley and Faye Borden award and is named after a very respected couple here in Portales that were killed in a tragic car accident in April 1979.
Harley and Faye were very involved in the community. Harley was a farmer and Faye was Vice President of Portales National Bank. They both had a great love for Portales and Roosevelt County and their passion was for a community that appeared vibrant and inviting.
In that spirit this year we have three award winners.
Enchantment Vineyards
Our first Borden award took a former peanut storage warehouse and completely repurposed it with a new enterprise.
After years of dreaming and several years of laying the groundwork, the extended Max Merrick family finally opened the doors of Enchantment Vineyards this spring. The former warehouse was completely transformed into a tasting room and winery. Situated adjacent to the family’s vineyards took on a new and inviting façade, complete with hand-crafted signage, awning and a fenced and a landscaped patio. An antique tractor and truck complete with wine barrels completed the landscaping.
Finally, late this year a new sign at Third and Kilgore was added directing folks to the new business. The family has made a habit of revitalizing properties in Portales as this is at least the fourth Borden award they’ve received. They were also recently recognized as Family Business of the Year in New Mexico. Please help congratulate Enchantment Vineyards.
Farmer’s Country Market
Since Farmer’s Country Market purchased the grocery store located at 18th and Ave. D a couple of years ago the company has methodically worked on a whole new business plan for the store. Inside the tortilleria, deli and bakery have been expanded and reorganized, a liquor license was added and new display cases have been employed. Early this past year the outside of the store was completely updated as well with new signage and paint as well as other improvements.
While the store looks great, store manager Martin Delgado promises more to come. Please congratulate Farmer’s Country Market.
Signman Signs
Our next Borden award has also won the award previously. This time around it is in an all new location and new ownership for Signman Signs.
New owner Edward Lowman has been with the company since it started but purchased the business from Seth Pritchett this past year. Unfortunately the previous building sustained major damage and a new location was the best option. A perfect fit came available when Muffler Galaxy announced it was ready to sell. Since then Edward and his staff have given the building, located on the curve at Chicago and Second Street a whole new look. The bold new signage has quickly made the corner Signman’s new home. Put your hands together for the new Signman Edward Lowman as he accepts our final Borden award of the evening.
Ambassador of the Year Casey Peacock
Presented by Patsy Jimenez
The Ambassador of the Year Award has very straight-forward criteria — simply the Ambassador who shows up at the most events and meetings is the winner.
The group holds monthly meetings, they average one or two ribbon cuttings a month and present to the Business of the Month and Volunteer of the Month winners. They also held five family movie nights this year and put together the Little Miss Merry Christmas contest. They also frequently collect items for non-profits in the community and the members are always on the frontlines of volunteers for everything the Chamber does.
This year’s winner not only had the best attendance record at all of the events the Ambassadors attend, she also has served as the group’s president for the last two years. A little over a year ago she decided that Ambassadors could and should do more in the community and she began putting together monthly projects that have raised money and supplies for a wide variety of different groups.
This year she organized an effort just before Christmas that collected Christmas gifts and food for kids in two families that had experienced hard times recently. No Ambassador has popped more popcorn in the line of duty than this hard-working woman. She’s made herself available for any and every duty that came up this past year.
We’re pleased to announce that Casey Peacock is the winner of the Ambassador of the Year Award for 2018.
Workhorse of the Year Award Jennifer Hardin
Presented by Karl Terry
The Workhorse of the Year is a longtime award for the Chamber that represents what our Chamber and our town is all about – hard work. It’s given out each year to the person who gives the most of themselves for their community and our Chamber.
The presentation goes back to the 1960s when board member Gayle Ferguson came up with the idea after thinking about the teamwork that existed with two or more horses hitched together
using the old horse collar. In fact in the early years the Chamber inscribed the names of Workhorse of the Year winners on an old leather horse collar.
Tonight’s honoree has been around the local business community for a while but in the last few years her flower in the community has really begun to blossom.
A few years ago she set a new course for her professional career as she entered the mortgage business under the tutelage of Chris Wood at Frost Mortgage. Since that time she’s firmly established herself in the company as the lead team member in Portales.
At the same time she took her volunteerism and dedication to service to the community to a new level as well. She has served for several years as a board member and officer for Portales MainStreet. She has also served as President of Altrusa this past year, where she has served with passion, innovation and devotion.
She’s also served as an Ambassador this past year helping out with numerous projects and events including the Free Family Movie Nights, one of which she sponsored.
She’s a devoted wife and mother who serves not only as a role model to her children but to children and young business professionals all over our community.
Please help me in congratulating Jennifer Hardin as our Workhorse of the Year.
President’s Award Business of the Year C&S, Inc.
Presented by Noelle Bartl
This next award is called the President’s Award, because, it is selected by the outgoing Chamber President, usually with nominations coming from the rest of the committee.
The award goes to a Chamber business that displays a culture of service to its community in its business practices and can be looked on as “Business of the Year.”
The business we’re recognizing tonight recently celebrated 80 years as a family business with one of the biggest community celebrations imaginable. But its roots actually go all the way back to 1930 when Harry and Alice Cissell formed Cissell Oil. Seven years Alice’s brother, an energetic and enterprising young man by the name of Wayne Stratton purchased the business and renamed it C&S Oil Co.
C&S, which later became just C&S, Inc, made its name by catering to both the needs of the farmer as well as the businesses of Portales in the way of oil, gas and tires. Eventually modern fueling stations for both passenger vehicles as well as heavy trucks were added along with a complete parts store and tire sales and service for everything from cars to farm equipment.
Over the years friendly, personal family service along with a responsibility to give back to the community have been the family’s guiding principles. Wayne’s son Mike began managing the business and Wayne went on to serve eight years as a regent at ENMU. Later the Wayne and Marjorie Stratton Endowed Scholarship was established and the family still supports that important work. They’ve also been active with support for both local Children’s Homes as well as various other organizations and causes.
These days Mike and Marnee’s two oldest daughters, Alyssa Idsinga and April Rutter manage the business. They’re both mindful of the traditions that exist at C&S as a leading business in the
community where their employees are valued as family and everyone in the community is a friend.
Both Alyssa and April have served on the Chamber board and Alyssa was Chamber President in 2012. Whether it’s getting the employees excited about their famous parade entries or participating in the work of the Greyhound Club, the pair, along with their fun-loving father show that you really can have a great business and have fun and make a difference in their community all at the same time.
Please help me in congratulating the Stratton family and all their employees for being recognized as Business of the Year with the presentation of the President’s Award.
