The Washington Area Chamber of Commerce has one Board of Directors position to fill for 2023. The following three nominees were selected from a highly qualified field of candidates: Nicole Desmond, Steve Underwood, and Shelley Vollmer Ballots will be mailed to members by November 15 and are due back to the Chamber Office by December 1. ![]() Nicole Desmond is employed at Deppe Farms, a family-owned business established right here in Washington in 1950. She is a graduate of Washington High School earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Economics from the University of Missouri before returning to the family farm. Nicole enjoys being involved in the community and volunteering her time. She served 9 years on the Washington Town and Country fair board and still continues to volunteer her time there whenever needed. She coached basketball for 12 years, served 5 years on the Athletic Board, and volunteered on the Auction Committee at St. Gertrude School. Currently, Nicole is serving on the board for the FFA Foundation which helps all our surrounding High School FFA chapters. She has joined the Washington High Athletic Association auction committee and is in her 2nd year as an assistant coach for the WHS girls varsity basketball team. Nicole is married to JJ Desmond. They reside on the family farm with their 5 kids. Nicole enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Her hobbies include gardening, spending time outdoors, and cycling. ![]() Michel "Shelley" Vollmer is a lifelong Washington resident who for the past 23 years has been the owner of Wimpy's Sandwich Shop on Jefferson Street. Shelley is a graduate of Washington High School, East Central College, and Missouri Baptist University. For the past 10 years, she has been on the Board of Public Water District #1 and she is active in the day to day operation of American Legion Post 218, serving as bookkeeper. She has been responsible for the management of the Main Lunchstand at the Washington Town & Country Fair for the past 2 years and serves on the planning committee for the annual GoFund Charity Golf Classic. Shelley and her husband, Joe, have two sons, Colton and Connor. In their free time, they enjoy all outdoor activities, especially camping and vacationing. ![]() Steve Underwood graduated with a Finance Degree at Missouri State University, formerly Southwest Missouri State University, in Springfield, MO. Upon moving to Washington, MO in 1997, Steve began working at what is now United Mutual Insurance Company, formerly St. Johns Mutual Insurance. Steve has served in many trade and professional organizations including several terms on the Missouri Association of Mutual Insurance Company board and currently serves on the Grinnell Mutual Board of Directors, a regional property and casualty insurance provider. Steve is the incoming President of the Rotary Club of Washington. Steve is married to his wife, Kathy, of 33 yrs. Steve & Kathy have two children, ages 25 & 27. Steve says that raising his family here in the Washington community is one of the best decisions he has made. The opportunities and friendships this community offers has been a tremendous blessing. On Monday, October 3, just over 200 people gathered at the annual Member Luncheon to recognize the Outstanding Young Professionals Class of 2022. The event was held at the KC Hall in Washington. Tables were decorated with centerpieces provided by Hillermann Nursery & Florist and advance copies of the OYP special section from The Missourian. Everyone enjoyed a delicious meal from the Knights of Columbus Auxiliary and time to network and mingle before the awards program.
Thank you to everyone that attended our event, and a special thanks to our sponsors (listed below), and to the businesses and individuals that made nominations for our awards! Our next membership event will be the Winter Mixer on Thursday, December 8. We also have three community events coming up: Music at the Market (Oct. 13), Pumpkin Palooza (Oct. 29), and Olde Fashioned Christmas (Nov. 27). The Washington Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Don Grahl (The Creek Grill & Sports Bar) and Scott Mentz (Mentz Foundations) to the Board of Directors. They were chosen through a membership-wide ballot that included four nominees, selected by a committee of past board chairs.
“We are excited to add Don and Scott to our Board! Both have a built great businesses in our community and have been wonderful supporters of our Chamber. We are thrilled they have volunteered to serve our community in this capacity,” said Chamber President, Jennifer Giesike. Board members typically serve two, 3-year terms on the board, although if selected by fellow directors to the Executive Board, additional years can be served. Grahl and Mentz replace Dan Cassette (Cassette Electric) and Craig Mueller (Imo’s Pizza, Sugarfire Smokehouse), whose terms ended on December 31, 2021. Don Grahl moved to Washington nearly 20 years ago and considers it, without a doubt, the best decision he and his wife, Donna, ever made. The move here has served their family exceptionally well, both personally and professionally. Donna works at St. Francis Borgia High School, and together they own and operate The Creek Grill and Sports Bar, which just celebrated its 12th anniversary serving this community. Don and Donna have three adult children, including two that reside in town and work in the area. Don has one granddaughter and another on the way. Don would consider it an honor to serve on the Washington Area Chamber Board of Directors. It would allow him to give back to this great city a fraction of what he feels it has given him and his family. Scott Mentz owns and operates Mentz Foundations, Inc., a small business specializing in concrete constructions. He has been a leader in that field for over 35 years. Scott is a hardworking, detail-oriented individual with strong managerial and organization skills. Scott is currently a Director at Heritage Community Bank. He previously served nine years on the Washington Town & Country Fair Board and was President of the Franklin County Construction Industrial Council for three years. Scott and his wife, Lisa, have two adult daughters, Stephanie and Taylor. He loves spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, and enjoys coaching youth sports, playing golf, farming, and traveling. Grahl and Mentz will join 14 others on the 2022 Board of Directors. Executive Board
The Washington Area Chamber of Commerce has two Board of Directors positions to fill for 2022. The following four nominees were selected from a highly qualified field of candidates: Nicole Desmond, Logan Diebal, Don Grahl, and Scott Mentz. Ballots were mailed to members on Friday, November 12 and are due back to the Chamber Office by December 1. ![]() Nicole Desmond is employed at Deppe Farms, a family-owned business established right here in Washington in 1950. She is a graduate of Washington High School earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture Economics from the University of Missouri before returning to the family farm. Nicole enjoys being involved in the community and volunteering her time. She served 9 years on the Washington Town and Country fair board and still continues to volunteer her time there whenever needed. She coached basketball for 12 years, served 5 years on the Athletic Board, and volunteered on the Auction Committee at St. Gertrude School. Currently, Nicole is serving on the board for the FFA Foundation which helps all our surrounding High School FFA chapters. She has joined the Washington High Athletic Association auction committee and is in her 2nd year as an assistant coach for the WHS girls varsity basketball team. Nicole is married to JJ Desmond. They reside on the family farm with their 5 kids. Nicole enjoys spending time with her family and friends. Her hobbies include gardening, spending time outdoors, and cycling. ![]() Logan Diebal owns and manages First Choice Facilities, one of the largest national snow and ice management companies in the nation, with over seven branches across the country. He is especially proud of creating a company that offers some of the best benefits, culture, and facilities to its employees in our area. First Choice Facilities is headquartered in Washington and has made contributions to many local charities and initiatives. Logan has always enjoyed leadership and problem solving and believes his strategic business sense would be an asset to the Chamber Board. He wants to be involved in the community to ensure the town offers things that will keep younger generations here permanently. Logan and his wife, Emily, currently live in Gerald. In his free time, Logan enjoys traveling and trying new foods. He loves outdoor hobbies, like skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and hiking. His favorite local spot is the Riverfront Trail. ![]() Don Grahl moved to Washington nearly 20 years ago and considers it, without a doubt, the best decision he and his wife, Donna, ever made. The move here has served their family exceptionally well, both personally and professionally. Donna works at St. Francis Borgia High School, and together they own and operate The Creek Grill and Sports Bar, which just celebrated its 12th anniversary serving this community. Don and Donna have three adult children, including two that reside in town and work in the area. Don has one granddaughter and another on the way. Don would consider it an honor to serve on the Washington Area Chamber Board of Directors. It would allow him to give back to this great city a fraction of what he feels it has given him and his family. ![]() Scott Mentz owns and operates Mentz Foundations, Inc., a small business specializing in concrete constructions. He has been a leader in that field for over 35 years. Scott is a hardworking, detail-oriented individual with strong managerial and organization skills. Scott is currently a Director at Heritage Community Bank. He previously served nine years on the Washington Town & Country Fair Board and was President of the Franklin County Construction Industrial Council for three years. Scott and his wife, Lisa, have two adult daughters, Stephanie and Taylor. He loves spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, and enjoys coaching youth sports, playing golf, farming, and traveling.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson brought the spotlight to Four Rivers Career Center on Thursday, March 11. The governor has been visiting work-ready communities in the state and spoke with students and instructors in the Engineering, Machine Tool, Information Technology, Carpentry, Auto Technology, Collision Repair, Welding, and CAPS programs. Student Ambassadors led the tour, giving Missouri's top elected official a unique perspective to the tour. Programs at Four Rivers are focused on bridging classroom learning with real-world experience. The Chamber is excited to partner with the career center to develop relationships with area businesses, improving the outlook for our community's future workforce.
For more photos and details on Gov. Parson's visit: School District of Washington article E-missourian coverage Photos from Gov. Parson Flickr ![]() On Friday, February 26, Four Rivers Career Center in Washington hosted a signing day ceremony to recognize 33 Youth Registered Apprentices and 10 Apprentice-Elects. Watch the Ceremony here! Leaders representing the community, apprentice's parents, FRCC instructors and elected officials, as well as Wade Johnson (Department of Labor, Office of Apprenticeship) and Commissioner Zora Mulligan (Dept. of Higher Education and Workforce Development) were present to celebrate the students' achievements. Over the past six months, staff at the career center has worked closely with City of Washington and Chamber Officials to develop partnerships with local businesses and accelerate the youth-focused apprenticeship program. At this time, FRCC offers seven (7) different apprenticeship study programs: Automotive Technology, Machine Tool, Welding, Collision Repair, Carpenter, Engineering, Information Technology. There are currently 24 Premier Business Partners certified to employ apprentices from Four Rivers Career Center. Chamber Members taking advantage of the training program include Modern Auto Company, Riechers Tire and Auto, Straatmann Toyota, School District of Washington, KJ Unnerstall Construction, GH Tool & Mold, Riechers Truck Bodies, and Sahm Welding and Fabrication. The Signing Day ceremony was the culmination of many efforts and milestones leading up to this ceremony:
Four Rivers Career Center prides itself in authentic experiences for their students, bridging the gap between education and career success. Recognized as a premier Career and Technical Education Center FRCC offers students the ability to connect their passions to their career path. FRCC services ten high schools and spans St. Charles, Gasconade, Warren, Franklin, Crawford, and St. Louis Counties. "Five years ago, the charge was to change the face of Four Rivers," said FRCC Director Andy Robinson. "Prior to that, we were vo-tech - we were the school students would go to that weren't successful in academic educational areas. I trust my staff, I trust the teachers that are making it happen, I trust what they do every day in the classroom to make it real. They take our students and they find their passions and they push them out into the real world. They understand that their program of study may be to go to a 4 year university, to a 2-year community college, or to a trade school, or just go straight to work and get involved. We find every kid where they're at and we push them along. In order to represent that, we needed an apprenticeship program." ![]() The program has great potential to keep growing, developing an effective pipeline for a highly skilled, sustainable workforce. Four Rivers Career Center is setting a high standard to qualify as Youth Registered Apprentices through aptitude, academic performance, and work ethic. Students must meet a number of requirements to qualify for the program, maintaining a minimum 2.5 GPA and 95 percent attendance rate, and they must be at least 16 years of age. "Today we're celebrating 33 students," Robinson said. "We call them gold standard students because they are our guarantee. We want to push out high quality students. We've got another 500 kids in the wings - we just couldn't get to them all, but we will. It just takes time and effort, and building more relationships in our community." Cynthia Walker was hired as the Apprenticeship Coordinator and has been impressed with the way the community has embraced the apprenticeship model. "I'm amazed at the achievements we can make when we all work together as a team. The vision of YRA has been a long held initiative for our administration, school board, employers, and our local/state officials, with a purpose to bolster our economy and fill the needed workforce skills gap. Our FRCC Director, Andy Robinson, has helped put feet to that vision and provided the initiative for the community relationships, the leadership, as well as the many provisions to move this chapter of career and technical education forward." Governor Mike Parson and Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe, both supporters of apprenticeship and other programs to help narrow the skills gap, were unable to attend the ceremony due to scheduling conflicts. Gov. Parson has plans to visit FRCC for a tour in the future, and Lt. Gov. Kehoe provided a video address for the ceremony, stating, "CTE (Career & Technical Education) students are a vital resource to Missouri's thriving economy today, tomorrow, and the future because our state needs a strong skilled, and highly motivated workforce to compete in the world's marketplace." ![]() Wade Johnson of the U.S. Department of Labor/Office of Apprenticeship had wonderful things to say about the greater Washington community and Four Rivers Career Center. Before presenting the official certification of the FRCC Apprenticeship Program, he stated, "City and Business organizations. This is the perfect storm in a positive way of things that need to happen to not only develop an apprenticeship program, but to have it be sustainable." His words about the students, however, were a highlight of the day, and proof that Four Rivers Career Center is living and fulfilling its mission to provide a quality education with real life experiences and opportunities to achieve a higher standard of living for a diverse student population using authentic hands-on learning modeled by knowledgeable and caring instructors. Johnson stated, "I wish I was as confident and talented in high school as what I've seen today. And it's not just the apprentices. The kids that gave us tours... They were very sure of what they wanted to do and how they wanted to prepare themselves for the workforce, for becoming productive, contributing members of society, forging their own path to the middle class. It inspires me, and it gives me hope for the future." The program was closed by Commissioner Zora Mulligan of the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. "To the students watching - the state of Missouri is tremendously proud of your success and we can't wait to see what you do as you finish your apprenticeships and go on into the economy and your lives. Thank you all for celebrating this important event with us today." Does your company want to get involved with the Youth Registered Apprenticeship Program?
Learn more here, or contact Cynthia Walker, Apprenticeship Coordinator for additional details! We're excited to hold our Annual Business Meeting on Thursday, January 14 at 8:30 a.m. Instead of gathering at a banquet hall, this year's event will be live-streamed on our Facebook and YouTube pages for members to enjoy from their homes or businesses. No pre-registration is required, and the recording will remain available for viewing after the livestream concludes.
Below are links to the Event Program and to the Facebook and YouTube livestreams. Would you like to support any of these events through sponsorship? We have multiple commitment levels available, so you can choose the amount and benefits that work best for your business! Learn more on our sponsorship blog post, and then sign-up with our online form. Thank you!
![]() The Washington Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to welcome Tricia Piontek (The Magnet Group) and Kevin Richardson (Zick, Voss, Politte & Richardson, P.C.) to the Board of Directors. They were chosen through a membership-wide ballot that included four nominees, selected by a committee of past board chairs. “We’re excited to add Tricia and Kevin to our team. Both have a great appreciation for our community, and we are grateful for their willingness to serve our Chamber in this capacity,” said Chamber President, Jennifer Giesike. Board members typically serve two, 3-year terms on the board, although if selected by fellow directors to the Executive Board, additional years can be served. Piontek and Richardson will replace Dave Politte (Zick, Voss, Politte & Richardson, P.C.) and Casey Zastrow (American Family Insurance), whose terms will end on December 31, 2020. Tricia Piontek has been with The Magnet Group since 2002 and currently holds the position of Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Brands Division. She served on the Our Lady of Lourdes School Board and is an experienced volunteer, helping plan and execute school auctions, parish breakfasts and dinners, and fundraisers for the Washington Junior ROTC Booster Club. She and her family enjoy supporting local events and businesses. Tricia and her husband, Allan, have five adult children – Nicole (Brueggenjohann), Holly (Wunderlich), Sydney, Samuel, and Jackson. Kevin Richardson is a partner and attorney at Zick, Voss, Politte & Richardson, P.C., where he has worked since 2003. Kevin has served on the Board of Directors for TEMCO, Inc. and the Franklin County Area United Way and on the Parish Finance Committee at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish. He was President of the 20th Judicial Circuit Bar Association, and was named to the Chamber Outstanding Young Professionals Class of 2013. Kevin and his wife, Sarah, have two children, Audrey and Will. Piontek and Richardson will join 14 others on the 2021 Board of Directors. Executive Board
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