TThe Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce’s 46th Annual Chairman’s Ball brought plenty of James Bond-esque excitement and style. The Casino Royale-themed evening honored the Chamber’s outgoing Chairman of the Board, Brian Albert.
Congressman Dan Crenshaw presented Albert with a special proclamation.
“(The Woodlands) is one of the greatest places in the country,” Crenshaw noted. “It’s because of you and people like Brian. I’m honored to be here presenting this proclamation to Brian. He embodies what it means to be a community leader and has excelled in his role as chief executive. I want to present this congressional proclamation to him.”
Crenshaw’s comments obviously touched Albert, as the official 50th anniversary of The Woodlands is soon approaching (it’s October 19).
“I’m just incredibly proud that I got to play a very, very small part in this really, really big story and everything that’s coming up for us in the future,” Albert says. “So know that even though it’s the Chairman’s Ball and my name is on these things, it’s about you, it’s about our chamber, it’s about the members of our community; it’s about all the people who make The Woodlands what it is today.”
This Chairman’s Ball marks the last major event of Albert’s term as he passes the gavel to the new leader of The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce, Ann Wolford of the Wolford Group, for the 2024-2025 term.
“I look forward to continuing Brian’s incredible work and moving forward with optimism and a strong commitment to making our Chamber the best it can be for every member,” Wolfford says. “Whether you’re a one-stop shop, a one-man operation or a multimillion-dollar company, we want to work together to make the Chamber the best it can be, and we can all do that together.”
“I believe we can continue to strengthen our community by supporting our business community and each and every company here. I am honored to be part of this journey and look forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead.”
This Casino Royale evening, chaired by Chamber members Melissa Young and Dusty Paez, included dinner, dancing and casino games. Attendees also enjoyed a martini bar (James Bond would accept nothing less) and had a rare photo opportunity with a vintage Aston Martin, a ride worthy of 007. The owner of the Aston Martin inherited the car from his father, who paid $1,800 for it in 1970.
One of the unique aspects of the Chairman’s Ball is the table decoration competition. Companies are invited to decorate a table for 10 people as they wish. The awards are voted on by a panel of judges, with the exception of the People’s Choice Award. This year’s winners are:
— Best Newcomer: Image 360 Signs and Graphics
— Best made by yourself: Interfaith Community of The Woodlands
— Best done for you: Corporate investments
— Best use of the theme: Weygandt Law
— The people’s choice: Market Street
