Eastern Gaston Mayors Pledge Cooperation
The mayors of all six towns in Gaston County's fast-growing easternmost townships met recently to talk about cooperation and collaboration among the communities with Chamber members and friends at City Cafe in Mount Holly. From left are: Mayor Robert Whitt of Mount Holly, Mayor Richard Boyce of Belmont, Mayor Ronald Murphy of Cramerton, Mayor Frank Guida of Stanley, Mayor Farrell Buchanan of McAdenville, Mayor Judy Horne of Lowell and Chamber Board Chairman Titus Workman of the Gaston Gazette. (April 25, 2008)

Chamber Board Discusses Issues With Rep. Myrick
U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick met recently with members of the Montcross Area Chamber Board of Directors to provide an update on issues before Congress and to hear about issues important to Chamber members. With Rep. Myrick after the meeting are (from left) Chamber Board Chairman Titus Workman of the Gaston Gazette, Belmont Mayor Richard Boyce and Chamber President Ted Hall. (April 11, 2008)

Sen. Hoyle, Chamber Board Chair Titus Workman, Reps. Current and Neumann

Coffee & Conversation Held With Legislators
Members of the Gaston County legislative delegation met with Chamber members at the first Coffee & Conversation on April 11, 2008. Sen. David Hoyle, Rep. William Current and Rep. Wil Neumann participated in the program at the Family Center of Queen of The Apostles Catholic Church in Belmont. Sen. James Forrester and Rep. Debbie Clary were unable to attend because of prior commitments. Each legislator briefed Chamber members on the upcoming session of the N.C. General Assembly and then responded to questions and comments from the audience.

A second Coffee & Conversation is planned with the mayors of all six eastern Gaston County towns (Belmont, Cramerton, Lowell, McAdenville, Mount Holly and Stanley) on Friday, April 25, 2008, at City Cafe in downtown Mount Holly. Email the Chamber office at info@belmontchamber.com for more information.

(April 11, 2008)

2007 Citizens of the Year Jack and Gearl Dean Page

Jack and Gearl Dean Page Citizens of The Year
The Chamber's Citizen of the Year Award for 2007 was presented to Jack and Gearl Dean Page during the Annual Banquet at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. The pages were honored for their many decades of community service. Most recently both have been leaders in establishment of the Belmont Historical Society and opening the society's Cultural Heritage and Learning Center on Catawba Street. Jack was founding president of the Historical Society and Gearl Dean led in the development of exhibits for the center. Both are leaders at Belmont First Baptist Church and active volunteers in a long list of service organizations.

(January 25, 2008)

Gaston County Executive Susan Briggs and Belmont Manager Mitchell Johnson cut ribbon to open Belmont branch.

BB&T Open For Business In Belmont
Belmont’s newest bank opened for business on December 17, 2007, when BB&T welcomed the first customers to its new 3,223-square-foot office just off Wilkinson Boulevard in the Montcross project near Wal-Mart. Branch Manager Mitchell Johnson said a formal dedication is planned for March 14, 2008. The bank’s hours are 9-5 Monday through Thursday, 9-6 Friday and 9-noon Saturday. On hand for the ribbon-cutting were (from left) Delta Sanders, Belmont Chamber board member; Ashley Taylor and Anne Huggins, BB&T relationship bankers; Belmont City Councilman Charlie Martin; Lesley Brown, BB&T mortgage officer in Belmont; Patty Owens, sales and service leader for Gaston County; Susan Briggs, Gaston County city executive; Mitchell Johnson, Belmont branch manager; Paul Lowrance, president of the Belmont Chamber; Ted Hall, executive director; and Teresa Rankin, director of member services.

(December 17, 2007)

Belmont Chamber Honors Past-Presidents

And Discusses Future Direction At Luncheon

Twenty of the 33 surviving men and women who have served as president of the Belmont Chamber

since 1960 attended a lunch in their honor at Cherubs Café in Belmont Monday (September 24).

Paul Lowrance of McKenney Chrysler Jeep, 2007 Belmont Chamber president, thanked the former

presidents for their service and asked for their input as the Chamber plans for the future.

Executive Director Ted Hall updated the former presidents on recent progress, which has seen the

Belmont Chamber grow from 84 members in 2005 to 267 today. He said the annual budget has almost

quadrupled during the same period.

Hall told the group the Chamber has scheduled a planning conference for October 11 and 12,

and asked for suggestions about how the Belmont Chamber can best serve its members and the

rapidly growing eastern Gaston region.

The Belmont Chamber began in 1937 as a Merchants Association, and became a Chamber of Commerce

in 1960. The late J. Paul Ford was the first president. He was followed in 1961 by Clyde Deitz, who at

age 94 had planned to attend the lunch but had to cancel Monday morning. Harley B. Gaston, Jr.,

who served as president in 1970, was the earliest past-president attending.

The lunch was sponsored by CommunityOne Bank, and Regional President Don Harrison commended

the men and women for their dedication to service. He spoke about the new name for the bank, which

formerly was known locally as First Gaston, and said the growth and change the Belmont area is experiencing

typifies recent developments at CommunityOne. Also attending from CommunityOne was Vice President

and Belmont Branch Manager Emily Queen, a former member of the Board of Directors of the Belmont Chamber.

Those attending the lunch and their year as president include: Harley Gaston, Jr., 1970; Bobby Curtis, 1971;

Dick Cromlish, 1974; Richard Thomas, 1979; Tom Hunter, 1981; Dannie Benjamin, 1982; Guy Piche, 1984;

Robert Coleman, 1985; Sam Stowe, III, 1988; Johnnie Lowry, 1989; Alex Robinson, 1990; Todd Stafford, 1995;

Jane Collins, 1996; Trudy Dixon, 1997; Ellen Fleming, 1998; Kevin Loftin, 2001; Bryan Dalton, 2003 and 2004;

Paul Herre, 2005; Rebecca Wintsch, 2006; and Paul Lowrance, 2007.

(9-24-07)                                                                      

Belmont Chamber Golf Tournament 
Moves To Gaston Country Club In 2008

At 86, Gus DeGrigorio of Belmont was the oldest of 180 players in the Belmont Chamber's 2nd 
annual golf tournament at Cramer Mountain Country Club. 

Tournament director Greg Garrison of Just Hardwoods Flooring presented Gus a special award
at a dinner and comedy show for players and guests. Garrison also announced that next year's
tournament will be played on June 19 at Gaston Country Club. 

The top team in this year's tournament was HD Supply Waterworks of Charlotte. Finishing second
was the Wal-Mart of Belmont team with Robert Kendrick, David Clary , Tony Mauldin and 
Roger Dickson. The REMAX A One Real Estate team was third, with George Neesmith, 
Bill Gillespie, Joe Denton and Rich Levy. 

Awards were presented at a banquet at Cramer Mountain Country Club on Friday night after the 
Thursday tournament. A Comedy Zone show featuring Big Ed Caylor of Tennessee was the 
entertainment. 

(June 15, 2007)

More Than 300 Attend Eastern Gaston Job Fair
Parking spaces were scarce on the East Campus of Gaston College in Belmont Thursday (June 21, 2007) when more than 300 turned out for a Job Fair. Gaston County JobLink Career Centers and the Belmont Chamber of Commerce teamed up to plan the fair, which drew more than 30 local employers.

Pat Bailey, business liaison with Gaston Workforce Development Board, coordinated arrangements for the event, which included a lunch for business representatives before the fair.

Other sponsors of the job fair were Aerotek Commercial Staffing, StaffMasters USA, 321 Equipment, McKenney Chrysler Jeep, Western Carolina Industries, Gaston College and Gaston Workforce Development.

(June 21, 2007) 

May 18, 2007 Golf Tournament News (pdf)

June 12, 2007 Two Named To Chamber Board of Directors