While celebrating 116 years of serving the business community, the Greater Port Arthur Area Chamber of Commerce at its annual banquet Thursday installed a new chairperson to head its executive board while recognizing individuals for their service.

The board also said goodbye to outgoing chairperson Paul Chargois.

“How time flies. I don’t know where things went,” Chargois said before recounting a year filled with activities beginning with the Chamber’s move to 501 Procter Street.

“It is such a wonderful step in the right direction in revitalizing downtown.”

Chargois, in a ceremonial display, passed the gavel to his successor, Barbara Phillips.

“I will do my very best to follow in your guidelines,” she said.

Phillips is known not only for her work with the Chamber, but also for her community service.

The lifelong Groves resident is the public affairs manager at Valero Port Arthur Refinery. Her 41 years experience in the refining industry includes positions in Human Resources, Labor Relations, Benefits Administration, Community Relations and Public Affairs.

Among her community service, Phillips is past president of the board of directors for the United Way of Mid and South Jefferson County and is past president of the Board of Directors of the Port Arthur Education Foundation. She previously served as chairman of the campus/site-based Partnership Committee for Booker T. Washington Elementary and has coordinated the Accelerated Reading Program Partnership with the school.

She has served, as the Hospitality Chairman for Golden Triangle Days in Austin for several years, is a member of the Port Arthur Industry and Community Leaders Advisory Group and the Industry of Southeast Texas Public Affairs Group. She is a graduate of Leadership Southeast Texas.

Also during the banquet, Port Arthur Realtor Jeff Hayes was recognized as this year’s Arthur E. Stillwell recipient — an award presented to a person who mirrors the forethought and vision exhibited by Port Arthur’s founder when he saw potential for a thriving city built on the vast coastal area acreage.

In accepting the award, Hayes said he would be remiss to not thank the city’s founder for building the railway and ship channel. In the process, Port Arthur was ready to be successful when Spindletop blew in about six months after the channel was completed.

“We have a debt to Arthur Stilwell. I am suggesting we have to be ready. Let’s do the best with what we have and lets grow our area,” Hayes said.

Patti Harrington, with Coldwell Bankers Southern Homes, was honored as the Chamber’s Ambassador of the Year and ArmorShred was recognized as this year’s Small Business of the Year.

Guest speaker for the night is Angela Salinas, the chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas.

Salinas, a major general with the U.S. Marine Corps and Girl Scout alumni, served her country for 39 years before retiring in Sept 2013. During her tenure she earned the distinction of as the longest serving woman in the Marine Corps’ history, as well as the senior ranking woman and senior ranking Hispanic in the Corps.

Among her many accomplishments, she was the first woman to command the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and the Western Recruiting Region, the first Hispanic female selected and promoted to the rank of brigadier general and major general.

She was also the first woman assigned as an assistant chief of staff for plans and policy of a major combatant organization and the first woman assigned as a ground major’s combat service support monitor, just to name a few of her accomplishments.

Now retired from the military, she serves the Girl Scouts.

“When I retired I decided to come home to Texas, and knew I would never work again, would never find something that would give me as much satisfaction as wearing the cloth of our nation,” she said.

That was before the Girl Scouts sought her out and asked her to come on board with their organization.

“Girl Scouts help their communities. They have power to making lasting change. Girl Scouts believe they can make a difference,” she said.

Girl Scouts, she said, make good marines and marines make good girl scouts.

E-mail: sherry.koonce@panews.com

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