This marks my final column as chairman of Northeast Leadership Forum. It’s been my privilege to serve in 2020, even though this position came a year earlier than expected.
I switched years with Howard Shotwell due to health reasons at the time, and now Howard is healthy, full of energy and ready to take the helm for 2021.
We will all remember 2020 for a number of reasons.
These include:
- Interruption and disruption at our businesses
- Scheduling and rescheduling our Annual Award Luncheon, first in March, then in May and finally in August
- Holding only two breakfast meetings - in February and October – due to social distancing guidelines
- The enthusiastic and clever presentation from Olympian Johnny Quinn – the ONLY Olympic Bobsledder who sells insurance in McKinney
- $46,000 in college scholarships awarded to deserving students from our area, thanks to the Alan and Nancy Hamm Foundation for a $22,000 contribution for the second time
- A renewed commitment for ANOTHER $22,000 from the Hamm Foundation for 2021 scholarships
- Our second consecutive sold-out Heart of North Texas Conference featuring keynotes from Ross Perot, Jr., Robert Earley and Michael Sherrod and an outstanding panel discussion
Each of us has met face-to-face with this pandemic. Some of our businesses have struggled mightily while others have fared well. We have pulled together as resources for one another in an impressive spirit of collaboration.
I like the paraphrase of a New Testament verse, Romans 8:28: Sometimes when things are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place.
To each of you and your loved ones, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a safe and healthy holiday season!
-Nick
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Incoming Chairman: Howard Shotwell
Howard Shotwell may be “The Most Interesting Man in the World” – having served as a senior executive of five different companies that each generated over $100 million in annual revenues.
The first four of these were Dobbs Houses, Multirestaurants Management Services, Inc., Host Marriott Services and Delaware North Company. In each of these capacities, Howard managed and oversaw concession operations at airports throughout the United States, including DFW International Airport.
One of his more intriguing contract negotiations was when he negotiated brand licensing agreements with such names as Wolfgang Puck and Disney Corporation.
In 2000, Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth CEO Larry Anfin asked Howard to join the Board of Directors, where he served as Treasurer. In 2003, he transitioned to become CFO of Coors Distributing Company of Fort Worth, where he continued until the company’s sale in 2014.
Early in his professional career, Howard was a member of the Monsanto team in Raleigh, North Carolina that developed a new product: AstroTurf.
In 1980, Howard formed R&D Associates, a real estate property management and residential construction company that he and his wife, Sandy, operate from their home in Hurst.
In addition to business matters, Howard has a passion for community service. He has served on the board and then chaired the Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce, currently serves on the board of the HEB Chamber of Commerce and has also serves on the Board of the Birdville ISD Foundation for Education Excellence and previously served on the Board of Casa Manana.
Howard demonstrated his commitment to his hometown of Hurst by serving on the Planning & Zoning Commission after serving ten years on the Parks & Recreation Board. He was President of the Hurst Citizens’ Fire Academy Alumni Association and he has chaired or co-chaired the organization’s annual steak dinner for several years.
Howard was named a Hometown Hero by the Northeast Tarrant Chamber of Commerce, and Coors Distributing was named Business of the Year by the HEB Chamber and the Northeast Tarrant Chamber.
Howard and Sandy are longtime Hurst residents. Their family includes two sons, each married and with children in North Carolina and their handsome dog, Alex.
With an added direction for the NLF Foundation, Howard has already hit the ground running by securing $6,000 in contributions to fund education scholarships for technical training.
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Board elects new officers, chooses committee chairs,
approves new members
Your Board held its annual board planning meeting on Friday, November 13, and elected the following officers for 2021:
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Chairman: Howard Shotwell
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Chair-Elect: Shelby Bruhn
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Immediate Past Chair: Nick Sanders
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The Board proposed a slate of Randy Clinton, Mary Frazior, RaDonna Hessel, Randy McCauley and Karen Parsinen to additional terms. Since this year’s chairman, Nick Sanders, remains on the board as past chairman, the Board recommended Kathryn Rotter to fill his remaining one-year term. The NLF membership will be asked to approve these members of the Board of Directors at our February 9 breakfast.
Incoming Chairman, Howard Shotwell, announced the following committee chairs:
Committee Chairs:
Annual Meeting: Randy Clinton
Heart of North Texas Business Conference: Eli Mercer
Membership: Shannon Watt
Programs: Shelby Bruhn
Sponsorships: John Fletcher
Roundtables:
Chambers of Commerce: RaDonna Hessel
Economic Development Directors: Craig Hulse
Mayors: Linda Martin
Nonprofits: Randy Clinton
Superintendents: Dr. Robin Ryan
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Breakfast Meeting Speakers Attract Impressive Crowds
NLF members continue to praise the quality of programs that are driving increased attendance at our membership breakfasts. Please mark your calendar to attend our Tuesday, February 9, breakfast when our keynote speaker will be Ian MacLean, owner and CEO of Highland Landscaping in Southlake.
Ian, who is a member of NLF, was recently chosen to serve as Chairman of the Small Business Council of the United States Chamber of Commerce. Yes, a member of our own organization is now the “National Voice of Small Business,” so we have a stronger presence on the national stage than ever before.
Ian has served at a variety of committee and board levels of the Small Business Council for the past five years. He is a two-time past chairman of the Southlake Chamber of Commerce and has also chaired Southlake Oktoberfest – the #1 rated Oktoberfest in Texas and #4 in the nation – for the past seven years.
Please remember to RSVP and bring small business
guests to hear his powerful message.
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Nominations Due for NLF Distinguished Leadership Award
Please devote some time to think about nominating the most deserving recipient for the NLF Distinguished Leadership Award, our highest honor. The award recognizes that person who has given many years of service to the Northeast Tarrant County area.
The selection criteria are as follows:
- Service in civic or educational roles, non-profit organizations, chambers of commerce, elected office or other areas that allowed the individual to make general contributions to the quality of life and well-being of the residents of the Northeast Tarrant County area
- Preferably, positive involvement in multiple areas of our community with innovative activities and leadership qualities
- Various volunteer responsibilities and longevity in one or more organizations
We require two nominators for each candidate. Each nomination may also include up to three letters of support. For a list of previous honorees as well as the nomination information and form, please click here.
We were pleased to recognize Randy Clinton, CEO of The CEC (Community Enrichment Center), with the 2019 Distinguished Leadership Award.
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Keep NLF Dynamic and Growing
As you interact with business and community leaders who impress you, please invite them to our next membership breakfast meeting on Tuesday, February 9. These influencers are making a difference in our area, so let's invite them to participate in NLF. Membership is the lifeblood of our organization.
For any prospective NLF members you may know, click here to download the membership application. We want both established and emerging leaders to continue joining our organization to further the dynamic growth of Northeast Tarrant County.
We ask you to welcome visitors and new members to our breakfast meetings because growing the power of networks is one of the main benefits of NLF.
New Member Profiles
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Chelsea Rose was named CEO of the Colleyville Chamber of Commerce in March of this year, returning to our area after spending almost three years as Director of Communication and Events for Catholic Charities in Oklahoma City. She brings creativity to special events for the chamber since she has operated her own company, Chelsea Rose Weddings, since January 2014.
Before moving to Oklahoma, Chelsea served as Special Event Coordinator for GRACE in Grapevine.
She grew up in our area, graduating from Southlake Carroll High School in 2007. She graduated from Oklahoma State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Hotel & Restaurant Administration, and earned her Master of Public Policy, Campaigns and Elections two years ago from Liberty University.
Chelsea has a passion for volunteerism, which has included volunteering in patient care services at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital, social media manager for Vision Africa and media relations coordinator for Mumz4Kidz.
Chelsea resides in Grapevine and is thrilled to now live close to her parents in Southlake.
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Bob Sifferman is a certified mentor at SCORE and he is based out of his hometown of Southlake. The purpose of SCORE is for local volunteer business leaders to foster vibrant small business communities through mentoring and education.
Bob’s professional background included being in sales management for Unisys, Vice President of NxTrend Technology, Vice President of Sales at Tecsys, Inc., Alliance Sales Director for Accenture and Principal at Nascentis Group.
Bob gives his time in ways beyond professional counseling. He’s an Advisory Board for IT Curriculum member at TCC Northeast Campus, an at-large Director for Bradley University Alumni Association, and a past community volunteer for Catholic Charities.
Bob has been blessed to be married for over 45 years to Carolyn and has two grown children (Brian and Karen) with 4 grandkids. Bob has been a resident of Northeast Tarrant County for over 25 years.
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For sponsorship opportunities, please contact John Fletcher at 817-205-2334.
2021 Membership Meetings:
(Please arrive by 7:15 to mix and mingle!)
Annual Events:
(Event Dates are Tenative)
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Annual Award Luncheon
Friday, March 26, 2021
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
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Heart of North Texas
Friday, November 5, 2021
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