Chamber honors service and contributions

The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Celebration and Awards capped its 100th annual banquet celebration Thursday, Jan. 19 by revealing the winners of its three long-honored service awards.

Keith and Shonia Putman were named Farm Family of the Year. Carriston Hendricks was honored with Young Citizen of the Year and Rose Specter received the Distinguished Service Award, both given to “individuals demonstrating leadership and personal involvement that enriches the general welfare of the community through business, civic, religious, and social organizations.”

The 2021 Distinguished Service Award recipients, Danny Paul and Sally Windham, presented this year’s award to Spector for her 32 years of work and community service. Rose and her husband, Tommy, came to Center in 1991 with the Golden Corral franchise that became T&R Steaks and More in 2004. The Windhams noted Spector’s contributions through volunteer service to organizations including Hope Community Medicine and the chamber where she has served on committees including Christmas Parade, the chamber banquet, Grill Fest, Taste of the Holidays, and the East Texas Poultry Festival.

Spector is a member of the First Baptist Church active in the Joy Seekers Women’s Conference. And she is a staunch Baylor Bears fan.

“I’m overwhelmed,” Spector responded in accepting the award. “I don’t really know what to say. This is not originally my home, but I consider it my home. This is the most compassionate, caring, and giving community that I’ve ever seen. Nothing beats Shelby County.”

The 2022 Young Citizen of the Year award was presented to Carriston Hendricks by Jesse Wiggins, 2021 Young Citizen of the Year recipient. Hendricks, a Family Nurse Practitioner, was born in Tennessee and moved to Texas where she attended Carthage High School. She holds a degree from the University of Texas in Tyler, is married to Luke Hendricks and the couple has two children. She opened Priority Family Healthcare in Center in 2020.

Wiggins said of Hendricks, “To say she is passionate about healthcare and the community is an understatement. She has always taken care of others - her children, her husband, her friends, her family, and her patients. She is passionate about the health and welfare of the community, and especially passionate about raising awareness and money for breast cancer.

She is on the board of directors for ‘Boobies and Bingo’ and assists with Boo’s Battle. She works with Coated in Kindness, helps the Shelby County Children’s Advocacy Center and the Princess Ball, volunteers with Breakfast with Santa and is a member of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Health Fair committee.”

AgriLife Extension Agent Lane Dunn announced the Farm Family of the Year, Keith and Shonia Putman of Putman and Putman Farms, LLC.

Keith Putman started out working for his parents, 1991 Farm Family of the Year winners Leo Paul and Wilsa Putman, on their four chicken house farm on Highway 87 between Loutown and Patroon known as the Leo Farm. Four houses were added later, and they were known as the Wilsa Farm.

After Keith and his brother Kyle graduated from Shelbyville High School, they left the farm life behind for “bigger and better things.” In 1990 Keith moved from Dallas back to Shelby County where he stayed until 2000 when he relocated to the Melrose community In Nacogdoches County. Keith remained in the poultry industry by working at East Texas Poultry Supply and later for Cumberland poultry equipment supply.

In 2009, Keith started managing the farm for his dad and eventually purchased it In 2010. Also In 2010, he married Shonia. They closed the original Leo Farm, retrofitted the Wilsa Farm, built four new houses and began operating as Putman & Putman Farms, LLC.

The Putmans raise for Tyson Foods Carthage complex where they raise more than one million chickens per year. In 2014 and 2015 they were awarded the Mooseberg Award for top Shelby County grower of the Carthage complex.

The Putmans attend Patroon Baptist Church where Keith is a Deacon and Treasurer. Keith Is also a member of the Mc-Clelland Water Board.

The legacy of Paul and Wilsa Putman lives on in the hearts and lives of Keith and Shonia. While Keith and Shonia’s life may have changed somewhat from Paul and Wilsa’s, they take pride in carrying on the tradition of providing the local area and the nation with the top-quality products.

Their life goal is to pass the legacy down to yet another generation that will continue to take pride In farming as a way of life.

“The family farm is slowly becoming a thing of the past,” said Dunn in closing, “But the Putmans hope to be one family that stays the course.”

Dunn also gave special thanks to John Snider for serving the youth, 4H and FFA of Shelby County 30 years with leadership for the Livestock Show and Poultry Festival.

Also recognized were Shelby County Elementary Teacher of the Year Syreeta Johnson and Secondary Teacher of the Year Paola Rangel-Grande. Mary Lynn Tinkle announced the honorees and recapped the contributions of each recipient to education and children.

Roger Doyle, 2023 Chamber Chairman of the Board served as emcee. Doyle expressed appreciation to the Chamber of Commerce staff, President Deborah Chadwick, Administrative Assistant Tammy Luman and Secretary Elena Almaguer.

He also acknowledged thanks to the board of directors, and to the ambassadors for being the face of the chamber at ribbon cuttings and events.

Recounting 2021, Doyle noted 18 new chamber members, two new business ownerships, dedication of Perry Sampson Park, and events such as The Grill Fest, Teacher Appreciation, First Responders Lunch, Leadership Conference, Health Fair, Taste of the Holidays, Christmas Parade, and Junior Chamber of Commerce program, and the 2021 East Texas Poultry Festival which he believed enjoyed the highest number of attendees in the festival’s history.

The celebration was well attended with a near full-house audience at the John D. Windham Civic Center.