Legends Club Unveiled: Past Board Chairs Honored by Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce

Statesville, NC — On January 18th, 2024, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce held a special gathering at the Statesville Country Club. The event brought together 25 esteemed Past Board Chairs who had diligently served from 1974 through 2024. It was a momentous occasion dedicated to honoring their unwavering commitment and remarkable achievements in fostering growth within our local business community.

Founded in 1927, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce proudly enters its 95th year as a beacon of economic vitality and community engagement.

Tracey Gibson, who chaired the board in 2022, and Kristi Pfeufer Madison, who held the position from 2020 to 2021, were inspired to gather the wealth of wisdom and experience of former Board Chairs to express heartfelt gratitude for their dedicated years of service. Mrs. Gibson articulated, “Our reunion aimed to achieve three key objectives: to foster shared reminiscences and exchange experiences, to recognize their invaluable service with sincere appreciation, and to reignite the engagement of those who remain integral to our local community, encouraging them to lend their insights and talents to today’s Chamber of Commerce.”

Reflecting on the evening hosted at the Statesville Country Club, one could witness a room brimming with devoted, insightful, and committed community servants, both during their tenure as Chairs and throughout their lifetime commitments. Charles Middlesworth, a youthful 92, who chaired the board in 1978, shared poignant reflections on the profound transformation witnessed by Statesville over the years.

Mayor Costi Kutteh, who served as the Statesville Chamber of Commerce Board Chair in 1998, continued his dedicated service, having gone on to lead as a fifth-term mayor and serving on the Statesville City Council for 16 years before his first mayoral election in 2005. Encouraged by the city's growth, Mayor Kutteh remains steadfast in his commitment to serving the citizens.

Danny Hearn, who served as President of the Chamber for over 30 years, also attended the event. Alongside Shannon Viera, the current Chamber President & CEO, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce has seen only four individuals hold the prestigious title of Chamber President throughout its history: Shank Warwick, Danny Hearn, David Bradley, and Shannon Viera.

Among the attendees was Gloria Hager of GG's Art Frames Gifts, who chaired the board in 1989. Despite the downtown community's tragedy over the fire that engulfed GG's on Broad and Center Street, as well as other businesses last April, Gloria remains a vital member of the Chamber Community, nurturing GG's at its new location at 125 West Broad Street.

Another committed Chamber member, Bill Brater of Nicholson Homes, and his wife, Linda Burns Brater, both served as Chairs in 1999 and 1996 respectively. 

Reflecting on the event, Kristi Pfeufer Madison from 2020-2021 expressed, “The evening was a resounding success! Reuniting with fellow chamber chairs to celebrate our collective service was truly an honor. Serving has been a privilege, and I am delighted to have been part of such an exceptional group.”

Current Chair, Charles Ashe of Hospice and Palliative Care of Iredell County, summed up the evening, remarking, “I have immense shoes to fill as this year’s chair! Surrounded by an assembly of remarkable leaders, I am humbled by the opportunity to contribute to the chamber's forward momentum in both business and community initiatives.”

For more information about the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, contact the Chamber at 704-873-2892 and visit us at StatesvilleChamber.org. 

Board Chairs since 1948:

1948  Lonnie N Mills

1949  W W Winters

1950  Ralph H Reavis

1951  W E Webb Jr

1952  Flake A Sherrill

1953  E E Boyer

1954  R E Chandler

1955  W S Kivett

1956  A Hugo Kimball

1957  Paul C Meech

1958  Russell Hanson

1959  Joe M Sherrill

1960  W P Morgan (Paul) 

1961  J P Huskins

1962  F Montgomery Steele

1963  John G Knox

1964  J Wesley Jones Jr

1965  Thomas A Allison Jr

1967  Fred Lowry Senior

1969  Jim Deaton 

1971  Allen Knox

1973  Lawrence Blanton

1974  Tom Wilson 

1975  Ron Hawkins

1976  Fred L Jones

1977  Brown Kimball

1978  Chester Middlesworth

1979  John W Davis

1980  Julian West

1981  William Leach, Jr (Bill) 

1982  Kenneth R Wheeler

1983  Jack C Estep

1984  T. Duke Williams Jr. 

1985  James H Thompson Jr (Jim) 

1986  John S Steele

1987  William H Spangler (Bill)

1988  L Phillip Hazel, Jr

1989  Gloria B Hager

1990 William A Long (Bill) 

1991  Timothy Dearman

1992  Raymond A Robbins

1993  Michael L White

1994  R B Sloan 

1995  Larry A Harvey

1996  Linda Burns (Brater)

1997  John McCalla

1998  Costi Kutteh

1999  William D Brater (Bill) 

2000  Dwaine Menscer

2001  David Meachem

2002  Dr. Steven S Binder

2003  Vince T Cherry

2004  Carol G Johnson

2005  Roy West

2006  Carol G Johnson

2006  G Rhyne Scott

2007  John Koppelmeyer

2008  Karen T Metz

2010  Ed Rush

2011  Doug Hendrix

2012  John Koppelmeyer

2013  Julia Wilson

2014  Randy Welch

2015-16  John Green

2017-18  Jeff Smith

2018-20  Bryan Duncan

2020-21  Kristi Madison Pfeufer

2022  Tracey Gibson

2023  Beth Packman

2024  Charles Ashe

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