Dr. Jennifer Buchanan named Carey Cox Citizen of the Year, Erma Beeson wins Quality of Life Award at Annual Chamber Awards Celebrataion on Jan. 30

By Brandi Hart
McKinneyUpdate.com
Created at 1 a.m. on Jan. 31, 2009

Orthodontist Dr. Jennifer Buchanan's fund-raising efforts to benefit the North Collin County Habitat for Humanity has not gone unnoticed as she received the Carey Cox Citizen of the Year Award from the McKinney Chamber of Commerce on Jan. 30.

Buchanan won the award at the 2009 Community Awards Celebration, which was held at the Eldorado Country Club and sponsored by the chamber.

David Craig, president of the McKinney based commercial real estate developer Craig International, presented the award to Buchanan, and praised her for raising $30,000 in 2008 for a family who had a home built by Habitat for Humanity. Buchanan held a free concert at the Adriatica commercial and residential development in Stonebridge last Memorial Day weekend, where people donated money to help a family have a home built for them. About 6,000 people attended the concert.

Buchanan's Smiles for Habitat concert will once again be featured near her office in Adriatica from 5 to 10 p.m. on May 24 and will feature the Grammy nominated county band Little Big Town, the Maylee Thomas Band of McKinney, and Lonestar Attitude. Buchanan is expecting 12,000 people to attend this year's Smiles for Habitat concert, she said when she accepted her award.

Erma Beeson, a longtime McKinney resident and former Chamber and McKinney Convention and Visitors Bureau employee, avid volunteer, retired teacher, and current public relations director for the North Texas History Museum won the McKinney Community Development Corporation's Quality of Life Award for her many years of service she has contributed to McKinney. Beeson spearheaded McKinney's tourism department and has helped foster tourism efforts for more than a decade.

Pictured above are David Craig, president of Craig International presenting the Carey Cox Citizen of the Year Award to Dr. Jennifer Buchanan at the 2009 Community Awards Celebration on Jan. 30.

Beeson was very humble in her acceptance speech and said her love and enthusiasm for McKinney shone as she said that she and her fellow residents live in great city. She said when she first moved to McKinney the city was much smaller and in need of residential and commercial development and expansion of museums.

She challenged the anyone to get to know McKinney better and get more involved with their community, which is by far the best place to live in North Texas, she said.

Norma Trevino of the Solar Soccer Club received the McKinney Convention and Visitors Bureau Tourism Partner of the Year Award for the club's work with the Flamefest soccer tournament held in McKinney.

Pictured above is Erma Beeson, on left, accepting the Quality of Life Award from the McKinney Community Development Corporation as MCDC board member Bill Campbell and MCDC Chairman Ray Eckenrode, on far right.

Trevino thanked the city of McKinney's Parks and Recreation Department staff members for working with the club with its soccer games and tournaments.

Jodie Baldwin of the Garrett Art Gallery in downtown McKinney received the McKinney Main Street Partner of the Year Award for her volunteer work with events in downtown. Main Street Board member Clyde Geer, who used to own Clyde's on the Square said the Garrett Art Gallery has contributed to the charm of downtown.

Baldwin said when she accepted her award that she didn't know you could receive an award for having fun with Ty Lake, the Main Street Program Director and the downtown merchants, which is how she described owning a business in downtown McKinney.

Raytheon received the McKinney Economic Development Corporation's Corporate Partner of the Year Award. Raytheon has created 1,000 new jobs in McKinney and it moved its network centric systems division from California to Texas. MEDC gives the award to a company that is a role model in corporate citizenship by contributing to the community in a meaningful way.

Independent Bank took top honors by receiving the Business of the Year Award with more than 20 employees. David Brooks, chairman of the board of directors of Independent Bank and his brother, Dan Brooks, vice chairman of the board accepted the award.

Pictured on the left are David Brooks, chairman of the Independent Bank's Board of Directors and his brother, Dan, on the far right, who is the vice chairman of the board of Independent Bank. McKinney ISD Board of Trustee member Wade Johnson is pictured in the center.

Jim Wilson Architects received the Small Business of the Year Award for a business that has less than 20 employees. Wilson is a McKinney High School graduate and is working with Independent Bank to redesign the existing multi-story former Chase Bank building on Heritage Drive, just east of US 75 and about three blocks south of US 380. Wilson did not attend the awards banquet because he had the flu, said emcee Sara Thomas. Main Street board member and Chamber board member John Rattan also served as emcee of the event and replaced John Dugan of Valliance Bank as Dugan could also not attend the banquet to an illness.

Repair My Credit Now, or RMCN won the Business Retention and Expansion Program Award. The award is given to a business that has existed for three years that has had measurable expansion of square footage, number of employees or product lines, and the business must have been directly impacted by the Business, Retention and Expansion Program. RMCN was ranked as the 27th fastest growing company by the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business in 2007

Joe and Cornelia Vaught received the city's Residential Historic Preservation Award who own the two story white Victorian style home at the southeast corner of Virginia Street and College Street. The home is located at 511 Virginia Street and was recently purchased by the Vaughts who moved here from Houston. The home was restored and its numerous wrap around porches, hardwood floors, multiple chimneys, and elaborately decorated wooden staircase near the front door of the home. City council member At-Large Bill Cox, who presented the award, said the home was built around 1900.

Pictured above are McKinney Economic Development Corporation board member Marta Gore with her husband, Chuck Gore who attended the 2009 Community Awards Celebration on Jan. 30 in McKinney.

Local downtown building owner and developer George Bush received the city's Commercial Historical Preservation Award for renovating a building located on the west side of Kentucky Street, between Virginia and Hunt streets. Bush owns The Ritz Building at the northeast corner of Virginia and Kentucky streets.

Dr. Todd Burton of All About Children Pediatrics received the city's Award of Excellence for Commercial Building and Design. The building must have an overall contribution to the business, neighborhood and community aesthetics and the signs and landscape must also contribute to the entire site in order to qualify for the award.

Jared Custom Homes received the city's Award of Excellence for Innovative Project Design and Land Use.

Typically, the McKinney ISD holds it annual teacher of the year award at the community awards to honor a selected primary and secondary teacher. However, the McKinney ISD did not hold the award at this year's community awards celebration and will instead give the awards at a special ceremony to be held this spring.

City Council member for District 1 Gilda Garza, pictured on theleft, was one of many council members and guests that shined at the 2009 Community Awards Celebration held Jan. 30 ata the Eldorado Country Club in McKinney.

Pictured on the left are Chamber member Gerry Ruschhaupt, owner of McKinney Office Supply in downtown McKinney and Dr. Mack Hill, who is pictured on right,who attended the 2009 Community Awards Celebration. All photos by Brandi Hart / McKinneyUpdate.com

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