Over 400 members and guests celebrated the accomplishments of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce at the 82nd Annual Meeting of the Membership. Brad McCune, Help-U-Sell of Manhattan, was installed as the 2007 Chair of the Board.

In a review of the 2006 events and accomplishments, Mike Shilling, 2006 Chair of the Board, applauded the efforts of business and community leaders for their many successes.

Those in attendance were treated to the music of the nationally recognized a cappella men’s group, Tonic Sol-fa. The Purple Wave Auction Company’s table won the ‘People’s Choice’ award for table design. Kansas Gas Service won second place. Third place was a three-way tie between INTRUST Bank, Steel & Pipe Supply Co., and UMB Bank.

Winners of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce ‘Lud Fiser Citizen of the Year’ and ‘Volunteer of the Year’ were announced. Recognized for his many years of community service and dedication to Manhattan, Brent Bowman was awarded the ‘Lud Fiser Citizen of the Year’ award for 2005. Bowman has been recognized 25 times in the last 17 years for excellence in design by the American Institute of Architects. In 1995, Building Stone magazine recognized Bowman as one of the 18 “Best and Brightest Architects” in the United States. He has designed many significant buildings in Manhattan including expansion and renovation of City Hall, the Hale Library at K-State, Anneberg Park, Holton Hall and the firm’s own office building at 228 Poyntz. Bowman has demonstrated his passion for Manhattan by working to improve our community’s quality of life.

He was specifically recognized for the donation of over $60,000 worth of his time and that of his firm from 2001- 2002 to develop the early downtown master plans for Manhattan’s redevelopment project now underway.

Frank Beer received the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ award for his dedication to the Chamber and the community throughout the past four years. Beer was the driving force behind the Manhattan 24/7 image campaign as the Chamber’s Retail Committee chair from 2003-2006.

He helped the Chamber board develop a legislative policy to reduce check fraud and instituted an email notification system to alert retailers to financial crime in our region. Beer is also active in the Retired Senior Volunteer Program and USD 383 sports.