SALUTE TO LAMPASAS COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Chamber president appreciates community welcome
By LISA CARNLEY Staff Writer

Louise Beam, Wal-Mart's newest manager, is the 2008-09 president of the Lampasas County Chamber of Commerce.

Wal-Mart managers seem to come and go. So, here's a novelty: a store manager who has purchased a house in Lampasas County. And she said she plans to stay.

Louise Beam is so sure she wants to continue to call Lampasas home that she has enmeshed herself and her family into the community. So much so that she is the new Lampasas County Chamber of Commerce president.

And that's a post she does not take lightly.

"I fell in love with the community the first time I ever saw it," Mrs. Beam said. Hailing from Stephenville, the longtime Wal-Mart employee said she had been in Lampasas in earlier years because of a relative who lives here.

"I wanted to raise my kids in a small-town atmosphere and in good schools, and I wanted to become involved in my community."

In her third year on the chamber's board of directors, Mrs. Beam said she appreciates what Lampasas has to offer.

"I am impressed with all the activities Lampasas has to offer. I lived in a larger town that didn't have nearly the events Lampasas has. There's something for the whole family."

The incoming chamber head said she appreciates what the organization does for the community's businesses and residents, and she encourages others to get involved with the chamber, as well. If the chamber does not have the community behind it, the organization would be struggling, she said.

"We have a strong chamber here because we have a strong community. It goes hand in hand."

What does the chamber do for the community? "It helps not only its residents but newcomers and visitors," said Mrs. Beam.

"The chamber offers onestop shopping. People can stop by there to have their questions answered and to pick up information about Lampasas. They can find out where restaurants are and where they can get their tires fixed. The chamber offers an important service."

In just the few short years Mrs. Beam and her family have been in Lampasas she has seen tremendous growth in the community.

"So many people come to Lampasas just because they love the community and what it has to offer," the store manager said. "They love the small-town feel and friendliness here. I was very impressed when I first moved here, too. Everyone is very welcoming and makes you feel at home. You don't see that very often."

Mrs. Beam said she hopes during her tenure as president to get more community members involved in the chamber and its work.

"I encourage businesses to work with the organization. The chamber promotes local businesses and showcases events, and that's important for the growth of any community."

The new president said she enjoys working with Chamber Executive Director Jill Jones.

"I have worked closely with Jill, and she is a vibrant person. She puts her heart and soul into the chamber.

"She realizes how important the chamber is to the community, and it's that important to her that it continue to grow.

"Any time you see something going on in the community, it's more than likely you'll see Jill there.

"I don't think people realize how much she contributes to the success of the events in our community."

Mrs. Beam and her husband, Don, a department manager in the Copperas Cove Wal-Mart, have two children -- a 6- and 3 yearold.

She said the adage "Your first impression lasts," well describes her feelings for her adopted hometown.

"We love it here and hope to stay here a long time. This is our home, and it's important for us to be involved in the community."