Our Great City

The Keller Chamber of Commerce held its annual Business Hall of Fame Luncheon on August 13, 2010 at Sky Creek Ranch Club. This year the Keller Chamber proudly recognized four outstanding businesses and an elected official to be inducted into the Keller Business Hall of Fame. Winners received a plaque for their business as well as being featured on a dedicated plaque that is displayed at Keller Town Hall.

Entrepreneurial Spirit Award is reserved for a business that has created a successful new commercial operation, grown an existing business into a larger presence in the community or exhibited an extraordinary entrepreneurial spirit while conducting business. The 2010 Entrepreneurial Spirit Award is Brenda DeVore with Edward Jones Investments. When Brenda began her career as an Edward Jones Financial Advisor in 2002, she created a mobile office from the trunk of her car. She built the foundation of her business by going door to door through the neighborhoods in our local area, building her business one client at a time. Brenda’s high level of energy and passion for helping others has given her what it takes to become one of the premier financial planning and investment firms in the Keller area. For Brenda, it is not about the sale, but rather it is about how to solve a problem. Through the care and personal attention she gives each client, she has not only the client, but has added the client’s parents, the client’s children, other relatives and friends. The success Brenda DeVore has found is mainly due to the depth and breadth of her relationships. The path that Brenda DeVore has taken shows strong entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to her business and to the local community.

The Community Leadership Award is give to a business that continually exhibits strong community spirit and outstanding leadership and commitment to community, civic and /or philanthropic efforts. This year’s winner of the Community Leadership – Large Business is Verizon. Keller was selected as the 1st city in the country to deploy its FiOs fiber optic network. With that rollout, Keller received an enormous amount of local, regional & national press for the city. In fact, Verizon generated so much excitement about Keller and the FiOs rollout, they helped host an open meeting with the Federal Communications Commission in the City. Verizon has also consistently supported Keller’s numerous school, city and non-profit endeavors, donating well over $100,000.00 in grants to several different Keller causes over the years. Recipients include the KISD Education Foundation, multiple Keller schools, dozens of Keller churches, the Keller library, the Community Storehouse, the Greater Keller Women’s Club, Christ’s Haven for Children, Rocky Top Therapy Center, Little Orphan Angels Animal Rescue of Keller, Keller Lions Club, KYA, Lightening Dancers Service Organization, Keller Little League, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts & the North Tarrant County Rural Fire Dept. 47 employees work in facilities that are in Keller and many more Verizon employees that work in other cities have chosen Keller, TX as their home. Verizon continues its partnership with the city of Keller and truly appreciates being able to live work and support all aspects of the city through its commitment to community leadership.

Receipient of the Community Leadership – Small Business is First Financial Bank. First Financial Bank is a strong supporter of several community non-profit organizations with employees that have given their time and efforts to get involved and make our community a better place. Trent Swearengin serves as President of the Keller Rotary Club, sits on the Board of Christ Haven for Children and is involved with Relay for Life - Banking on a cure. The bank participates in Teach Children to Save Day by visiting local classrooms and teaching children about the importance of saving money.

The Exemplary Customer Service Award - This award has been reserved for a business that exhibits customer service above and beyond the expected, normal business operations. This award recipient understands the importance of going the “extra mile” to satisfy the needs of their customers. The 2010 Exemplary Customer Service went to Farmers Insurance – C. Keith Bland Agency. Keith believes that excellent customer service is a signature of all good businesses. When your clients call in need it is because something has gone wrong. Keith Bland is always accessible to visitors and by phone. Keith has been called by clients at the scene of an auto accident and has responded, helping clients with the reporting process, discussions with police, initiating the claim, helping with a rental vehicle, etc. He has even had calls by clients that are out of town whose wives/daughters have been in a wreck and has personally gone out to assist them and calm them down. Another example of his excellent customer service was when a home that was under construction was blown by severe straight winds and had fallen against a customer’s home. Keith went to their home to assist, expedited services, photographed damages, and spoke to the builder and their insurance company.

Accidents do not just happen between 9am and 5pm, they happen in the evening, at night, on weekends and during holidays. Keith Bland is committed to providing the highest level of customer service possible to all of his clients.

The Spirit of Enterprise Award – This award goes to an elected official that has made a significant contribution to their constituents and the Keller community. This Year’s Spirit of Enterprise Award winner is State Representative Vicki Truitt. Now in her sixth term, Representative Truitt is the Chairman of the Texas House of Representatives Committee on Pensions, Investments and financial services and is a member of the house committee on Public Health. Throughout her career, she has been a leader in our state on transportation funding issues, public retirement and healthcare systems, banking and lending issues and health and human services.

Vicki Truitt’s most recent legislative accomplishments include: property tax appraisal process reform, authoring and passing bills in support of public employee retirement systems, authoring and passing bills to support the State’s community mental health/mental retardation centers, bills relating to state financial regulatory agencies and the regulation of certain persons involved in mortgage lending and the regulation of discount healthcare program by the Texas Department of Insurance.

In addition, Vicki Truitt has volunteered and led many community organizational initiatives in NE Tarrant County in the fields of art, education and local philanthropy.