The 2023 Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Man of the Year is the late Willie Rollins.
Relay for Life Matagorda County chair Chrystal Folse is the 2023 Woman of the Year.
Rollins and Folse were honored at the annual chamber banquet Thursday night, Jan. 18, at Bay City Civic Center.
Joining the two with chamber honors were the year’s outstanding leaders of Sargent, Palacios, and Matagorda, teachers and students of the year from Bay City, Van Vleck, Tidehaven, and Matagorda ISDs plus the Holy Cross Catholic School teacher of the year.
The Chamber’s 2021 Man of the Year Arthur Milberger presented the award to Rollins’ wife Audrey.
Millberger read a brief account of Rollins’ personal accomplishments and dedication to Matagorda County and its citizens.
“Our 2023 Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Man of the Year was born March 11, 1949, in Pickens, Mississippi,” he explained.
“He moved to Bay City with his family in 1955. The 2023 Man of the Year earned the recognition as the ‘Most Determined Student’ and graduated High School in May 1967 and continued his education at North Texas State University.”
Rollins played football, basketball, and tennis during his high school career and taught tennis at McLeland Tennis Center in Fort Worth.
“Our man of the year had a reputation as a man with a quick sense of humor and intelligence,” said Milberger.
“Here in Matagorda County our Man of the Year was involved in many organizations, he was a past board member of the Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, served on the Matagorda Regional Medical Center Board of Directors, and was President of the Van Vleck Community Development Corporation.”
Rollins also served as the director of the Harvest House food pantry.
Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture’s 2022 Woman of the Year Elizabeth Hewitt presented Folse with her award and outlined Folse’s commitment to Bay City and Matagorda County.
“Our 2023 Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Woman of the Year was born in Corpus Christi and until the age of two our Woman of the Year only spoke Spanish because she lived in Honduras,” said Hewitt.
“But our Woman of the Year was able to relocate with her family to Bay City. Our Woman of the Year attended Bay City ISD and graduated from the Bay City High
See Chamber, Page 8
School in 1984.”
Folse has owned several small businesses and has been associated with the Bay City Girls Softball Association, Girl Scouts, and Celebrity Waiter and served on the Tenaris Scholarship committee for 10 years.
“During Hurricane Harvey, she volunteered at the county fairgrounds, unloaded hundreds of 18-wheel trucks and sorting, and distributed much-needed supplies to individuals, and redirected trucks all over Matagorda County,” she added.
“Our 2023 Bay City Chamber Woman of the Year has chaired, saved, and resurrected the Relay for Life fundraiser many times over the years, her passion for this cause is unmeasurable. She has been involved so many community organizations, including serving on the Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture Board of Directors, served many years on the Bay City Council, and served as Mayor Pro Tem.”
Hewitt also said that Folse served many years on the Bay City Community Development Corporation board.
“Her involvement on that board resulted in many new businesses locating to our community,” she said.
Other awards presented at the banquet included:
- Sargent Person of the Year Joey Welboan.
- Matagorda Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year for 2024 Teresa Gibbons.
- Palacios Chamber of Commerce Man of the Year Nate McDonald.
- Palacios Chamber of Commerce Woman of the Year Mary Crocker.
- Palacios Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year W&W Dock.
- Bay City ISD Teacher of the Year Lacy Woods.
- Van Vleck ISD Teacher of the Year Krysten Carey.
- Matagorda ISD Teacher of the Year Marlene Guevara.
- Holy Cross Catholic School Teacher of the Year Mita Bossley.
- Bay City ISD Student of the Year Megan Moya.
- Van Vleck ISD Student of the Year Alexis Gibbens.
- Tidehaven ISD Student of the Year Kevin Rickaway.
- Matagorda ISD Student of the Year Angel Vargas.
Chamber scholarship funds for all of the student winners will be matched by Tenaris.