The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce (FBCC) held their annual Gala on Friday, February 2, 2024, in the Texas Ballroom at Safari Texas Ranch. The annual event paid tribute to the leaders and volunteers of the FBCC who served the chamber in 2023 and welcomed the new leadership for 2024. As the largest business organization in Fort Bend County, the FBCC celebrated a remarkable 51st year and welcomed in the new slate of dynamic leaders to advocate, elevate and lead. Qiara Suggs is the 2024 chairwoman of the board and making history as the Chamber’s first African-American chairwoman. Suggs is the Chief Human Capital Officer at TDECU, formerly the Director of Human Resources Business Partners at Memorial Hermann and a Fort Bend Chamber Leadership Forum graduate. She shared her high expectations for the chamber to “continue to raise the bar on impacting the community, advocating for excellence, and pushing for policies that help our businesses grow.”
Immediate Past-Chair, King Banerjee with Big Frog Custom T-Shirts and More of Sugar Land, led in 2023 by making certain the Fort Bend Chamber extends a sense of belonging to all. Banerjee emphasized this sentiment by saying, “Fort Bend Chamber doesn’t just include everyone, it welcomes them with open arms, regardless of background. We see ourselves not as a melting pot, but as a kaleidoscope of vibrant individualities, each shining brighter under the light of this remarkable chamber.”
Banerjee presented the Community Spirit Award to Keith Borgfeldt with Spartan Wealth Management. This award is presented to an individual who has given their time and treasure for the betterment of the community. Borgfeldt is a vital part of many community organizations in Fort Bend and has served as a force for positive change. He has dedicated over a decade to the board at the YMCA and in 2014, was awarded Volunteer of the Year. The Cullinan Park Conservancy has had Borgfeldt on its board, where his visionary leadership and commitment to preserving natural spaces has extensively shaped the organization’s mission. As the current president, he has elevated the Conservancy’s profile, ensuring the legacy of our natural treasures for generations to come. In 2022, our honoree joined the board at Hope for Three, the preeminent autism advocacy group. His compassionate advocacy and tireless efforts have undoubtedly made a meaningful impact on the lives of those affected by autism. Lastly, for over a decade, Borgfeldt’s leadership within the Fort Bend Chamber has been nothing short of transformative. From his initial involvement as a Leadership Forum Graduate to assuming the crucial role of board treasurer in 2019, he has provided an immensely valuable contribution to the organization.
The Chairman’s Award was presented to Ted Volf and Nancy Colmenares. Together, these two remarkable individuals co-chair the Member Services Division, a testament to their collaborative efforts to strengthen the foundation of our organization. Ted Volf has been a cornerstone of the Fort Bend Chamber for over a decade, contributing notably to overall growth and development. Nancy Colmenares is the founder of the Chamber Partner program. She supports the chamber by recognizing when there is a need and stepping up with a creative solution. Whether it’s leading a team within their respective industry or co-leading a committee of volunteers at the chamber, she shines with excellence. Through the leadership and dedication of these two incredible recipients, the chamber can cultivate deep relationships among Chamber Investors.
The awards continued with Banerjee acknowledging the leadership and service of immediate Past-Chair, Kevin Riles with Kevin Riles Commercial. Banerjee remarked, “we are forever grateful for his invaluable work as a problem solver, convenor and for the inspiring messages you delivered from the podium that made us laugh and cry.”
Additionally, retiring Healthcare Division Chair, Mike Dotson with AccessHealth and retiring Board Members, Jonathan Chapman with WJ Interests, LLC, Jeff Hogan with Hogan Chiropractic PLLC, Matthew Kelly with Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, and Luc Sanderson with Windstream Communications were honored for their service.
The Fort Bend Chamber Executive Team is comprised of Qiara Suggs, Chairman; King Banerjee, Immediate Past-Chair; Jim Rice, Chair-Elect; Keith Borgfeldt, Treasurer; Tariq Zafar, Legal Counsel; and Keri Schmidt, President & CEO.
Below is a complete list of 2024 Directors and Division Chairs.
2024 Board Members and Division Chairs:
King Banerjee
Angelique Bartholomew
Allison Bond
Keith Borgfeldt
Chris Breaux
Breah Campbell
Stephen Carter
Nancy Colmenares
Rick Conley
Ashley Cornner-Patel
Aman Dhuka
Mike Dobert
Laura Fisher
Trisha Frederick
Matthew Froehlich
Lupe Garcia
Andrew Gilmore
Jennifer Goodall
James Greene
Rachel Greene
Darrell Groves
Jennifer Henrikson
Melissa Hoffman
Patrick Houck
George Jabbour
Palak Jalan
Tommy Kuykendall
Ginny Moon
Bonnie Moss
Irfan Motiwala
Patricia Nagle
Jay Neal
Mukhtar Owais
Joop Oranje
Elexa Orrange-Allen
Mihir Patel
Kevin Patton
Jim Rice
Guillermo Salcedo
Keri Schmidt
Shana Scott
Qiara Suggs
Tommy Thompson
Ted Volf
Rodney Washington
Carl Willis
Beth Wolf
Following the awards and dinner, the record number of guests continued to celebrate with libations, fun, games and live music from the band Password!
Title Sponsor was: The Signorelli Company
Swag Sponsor was: TDECU
Run the World Sponsors were: Accredo Packaging, Inc., Audi Sugar Land – A Sewell Company, Consolidated Communications, Fluor Corporation, PrimeWay Federal Credit Union and Sterling McCall Automotive Group
Renaissance Sponsors were: BGE Inc., ChampionX, City of Missouri City, City of Sugar Land, CivilCorp, LLC, GFL Environmental, Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, Kinetic by Windstream, IndiGO Auto Group (Porsche of Sugar Land), MBCO Engineering + Surveying, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, Meristem Communities – Indigo, Municipal District Services, LLC, Pamela Printing Company, Safari Texas Ranch, Rice & Gardner Consultants, Inc., The First State Bank of Louise – Sugar Land, University of Houston and Wharton County Junior College.
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About the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce
The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is 5-star accredited and the largest single-county chamber in the greater Houston region. As the advocate for excellence in Fort Bend County and beyond and the largest Fort Bend business community, we do essential work to protect the business interests in our region. The organization has been able, over the last 50 years, to be a strong and successful voice for business due to the solid and impressive investment of our members. The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce creates, enhances and promotes the dynamic environment in which we work and live.
