Reporter: Ellie Mahan
March 23, 2022
Encouragement, words of wisdom and all things green filled The Place at Lake Whitney Thursday, March 17, when the Whitney Business Alliance turned its regular meeting into a festive women’s leadership event.
At the meeting held during Women’s History Month, the WBA celebrated more than 70 female business owners and leaders. The meeting began with the reading of the WBA mission statement and the introduction of the organization’s officers, all of which are women.
Carol Eubank, president of the Whitney Business Alliance, led the meeting, and guest speakers included Angelia Orr, who is running for state representative, and Marchel Eubank, Hill County District Clerk. Orr gave the invocation before Marchel shared her story and spoke on the impact that women have in the workforce.
Carol introduced Marchel by saying that she has owned or managed businesses in the county for many years. Carol said, “She runs a household of rowdy boys. She is an amazing aunt. She has been our tax assessor/collector, and now she is our Hill County district clerk. Most importantly, she is my sister, and I love her very much, and I’m just grateful she is speaking tonight.”
Marchel was born in Plainview. When she was growing up, her father worked in the oil and gas industry, so she traveled with her family around the United States and the world, spending her formative years in Egypt. When she returned home to Texas and visited her grandparents in Burleson, her father said, “Let’s drive south, and the first lake we come to, we will buy a house.” The first lake that was south of Burleson happened to be Lake Whitney. Marchel said, “We bought a house in 1980 at Lake Whitney, and the most fun summers of my entire life ensued right here.”
After finding a hometown in Whitney, Marchel went on to pursue college and obtain a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, with a minor in business administration, from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. After graduation, she returned home to Whitney, where she became a real estate broker and met her husband, who is a third-generation Hill County native.
Since she moved back to Whitney over 30 years ago, Marchel has been a real estate broker for 17 years, the Hill County tax assessor/collector for 12 years and the Hill County district clerk for three years. On top of that, she has raised three children; she also has a grandson and has a granddaughter on the way.
Marchel said she spends the majority of her time at the courthouse, so she enjoys being able to interact and share her story with other women in leadership in the community. Throughout her professional career, the majority of people she has worked with have been women.
She said, “Whether they’re a mother or not, they run a household. You’re supply, logistics, infrastructure, maintenance, budgeting, finance, accounting; you do it all. That translates to a business the second that you step outside into your professional lives. I applaud you. I am right there with you.”
To Marchel, leadership is less about taking charge and more about being a public servant for everyone in Hill County.
“Any office that you walk into, you’ll see a whole ocean of faces that are women. They’re the ones plowing through and doing the work. The team I have is amazing. They work hard, and I really appreciate that. Part of being a woman in a leadership role is not really about stepping into ‘I’m the leader person.’ That is not mostly who all of you are. It’s about being a servant, empowering people, teaching them, helping them to grow,” Marchel said.
The Whitney Business Alliance’s purpose is to enhance the shopping, eating, living, entertaining and community experience in Whitney by providing mentorship to small businesses. Anne Chastain, vice president of the alliance, said that since WBA started about a year and a half ago, its members have already pitched in on several occasions when local businesses needed help. The group averages about 15 to 20 people per meeting, and anyone is welcome to attend the meetings that are held every third Thursday of the month.
WBA is geared toward all businesses that fall in the 76692 zip code.
WBA has hosted its meetings at a variety of locations including but not limited to Juniper Cove Winery, Buckshot Rustic Furniture, Lazy Llama Coffee and Treats, and now The Place at Lake Whitney.
The Place at Lake Whitney is a space for events, weddings and outdoor concerts. Tami Gardner, co-owner, said, “You bring the party. We are the place.”
The Place is also a designated nonprofit organization, and Gardner said it has engaged in service projects and is in the process of building a commercial kitchen that will be used to feed the homeless once a month.
Carol expressed her thanks to everyone who attended the event, noting that the turnout exceeded her expectations. She said, “Y’all have blown us away, and we could not be more grateful. Next year, we’re already looking forward to making this even better.”
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The Whitney Business Alliance recognized the following Whitney women who are business leaders.
| Women Business Owners or Managers | Company |
|---|---|
| Allyson Vought | Leon Cycle |
| Anne Chastain | Juniper Cove Winery |
| April Aguirre and Stacie Patton | Mary Kay |
| April Sanders | The Lakelander Newspaper |
| Ashley Loggins | Nola Salon |
| Auyishi Agarwala | Benji’s Coffee and Health Now Urgent Care |
| Carla Roberts | Carla’s Wacky Shack |
| Carmen Bartosh | Carmen’s Hair Studio |
| Carol Eubank | Whitney Family Eyecare |
| Charlotte Cheek | The Sweet Shoppe Bakery |
| Cindy Maul | R&C Machine Shop |
| Cora Branard | Emerald Rose Photography |
| Crystal Stewart | The Farmhouse Store, Trading Post |
| Cynthia Sheppard | Brewed Awakenings Coffee |
| Darla Elliott | Darla’s Salon |
| Debbie Aust | C&S Antiques |
| Debbie Ward | Medisport Massage Clinic |
| Denise Callaway and Sharon Nisbet | Bosque Realty |
| Diane Frederickson | Isaiah’s Place |
| Emily Durham | To The Point Dance Studio |
| Gina Rogers | Essence of Hope |
| Hina Bhakta | Bobby’s Burger’s |
| Holly Totten | Writely Notable and Teaching Yourself to Learn Podcast |
| Jamie Rains | Rustic Heart |
| Jan Eyman | Signature Signs, Gymtrix Gymnastics |
| Janet Gummelt | The Gummelt Team |
| Jay Caldwell | Lake Whitney Liquidation, Gladiator Farm |
| Jeannetta Green | Gallery Massage, located at The Place |
| Jen Woodard | End Zone Bar & Grill |
| Jennifer Davis | Tree House Spa |
| Jennifer Gauer | Jennifer Gauer Photography |
| Joan Gaudet | Collaboration Whitney |
| Judy Smith (Rodriguez) | Boondocks Bait and More and Texas Great County Cafe |
| Julie Cokrell | Julie Cokrell Massage |
| Karen Lochridge | Forget Me Not Flowers |
| Katherian Harris | Nail Creations |
| Kelly Smith | Skin Solutions Beauty Spa |
| Kim Hall | The Hall Closet |
| Kimberly Rumfield | Kimberly Rumfield Realtor |
| Kitty Marbut | I Can Only Imagine |
| Konni Spitzer | Buckshot Rustic and Out West Boutique |
| Kristen Hootern | Hoot n Holler Barbecue |
| Lecya Peacock | Western Auto |
| Lindsey Anderson | The Hair Shed |
| Loretta | Loretta’s Stitch N Stuff |
| Lori Fahnders | Lucky Minnow Outdoor Store |
| Mandy McFall | Germania Insurance |
| Mandy Missildine | Bloomin’ Groomin’ and Lake Whitney Nutrition |
| Michelle Ruffener | Photographer |
| Pam Townley and Rhonda Bass | Whitney Museum |
| Sade Sosbee and Tabitha Ruiz | Grace and Graze |
| Sonia Ferrell | Lighthouse Pub |
| Stephanie Ankar | Stitchin’ Shack |
| Stephanie Westbrook | The Design House |
| Tami Gardner | The Place at Lake Whitney |
| Teresa Wyatt | A Daughter’s Dream |
| Terry Boyer | Fast Food 4 UR Future |
| Theo Acker | Think Theo Podcast, Acker Construction, The Palms at Lake Whitney |
| Tiffany Basham | Lazy Llama Coffee and Treats |
| Vickie Wilson | Vicki’s Nifty Nails (Color Street) |
| Wendy Kirby and Lori Proctor | The Wendy Kirby Team |
| Zanette Odell | Plunder Jewelry |
| Vicky Ward | Smoke Shop and Ward Bookkeeping |
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