Published: October 20, 2009 11:59 pm      

It's tme to say farewell

COMMERCE — Collectively, Barbara Kersey and Annette Busby have spent some 30 years at the Commerce Chamber of Commerce, and now it’s time to say farewell.

Kersey joined the Chamber Dec. 1, 1999, when she took over the position of chamber manager, whose responsibilities include overseeing and organizing operations of both the office and the chamber.

“When I resign at the end of November it’ll be 10 years to the day,” said Kersey.

Busby has been with the chamber off and on for 20 years. When she first came on, Billie Biggerstaff was the chamber manger.

“Through the years, sometimes they’d hire a manger who thought they didn’t need to hire anyone here to answer the phone, so I would work when that person was sick,” said Busby. “There were even spots where the chamber manager got sick and I was the only one here for a while. I had always planned for it just to be a part-time job.”

Busby is the receptionist, though she does more than just answer the phones.

“I answer the phones and any questions new residents might have about Commerce,” said Busby. “I also mail out information about Commerce and make sure there’s someone here so that Barbara can go to meetings and such without the need to close the office.”

Busby is a life-long resident of Commerce and you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows more about Commerce than she does.

“There were very few questions that could come up that I couldn’t find the answers to,” said Busby.

A lot has changed since the pair first started at the chamber.

“We now own the building here,” said Kersey. “We started out in a rental property, but felt that the chamber really needed to own their own property and that we really needed to be on the square. We found this building, owned by the hospital district, and they sold it to us. We had it paid off in four years. So the chamber, for the first time, had its own home.”

Aside from acquiring a permanent residence, other changes seen by Busby and Kersey include an obvious improvement of the Bois d’ Arc Bash, the creation of a Fourth of July celebration and the return of the Christmas parade.

“When I first started working here the Bash was very small, and it was the only event going on,” said Busby. “That has evolved and now we do the Christmas parade. We had one as I was growing up, but it stopped being an event for a while. That was brought back and we added a Fourth of July celebration and the Merchant’s Fair. So many things have been created and evolved since I’ve been here, and I think that these events enhance the effectiveness of the chamber.”

While the pair work hard at getting the events organized, they rarely get to sit back and enjoy the results.

“These events don’t just happen,” said Kersey. “They take a lot of work. At the Bash I stayed in the building counting money from two in the afternoon to nine at night. I really never get to go out and enjoy the Bash, other than Friday night, when I get to enjoy the music. That’s our job, though, and I’m happy doing that. I guess after next month we can. I’m looking forward to that.”

Busby and Kersey were friends prior to their becoming co-workers.

“We were friends long before we started working together,” said Kersey. “That has been an asset as far as I’m concerned. We’ve been friends since 1970 when my family and I first moved here. We attended the same church, and our boys were in Cub Scouts together.”

Both women have thoroughly enjoyed their time at the chamber.

“It’s a wonderful job and I’ve so enjoyed it,” said Kersey. “I’ll miss it, but I think it’s time for a change — someone new who’ll bring with them new ideas.”

Busby will be spending more time at home with her husband, while Kersey will be spending as much time traveling and visiting her grandchildren as possible.

“Barb and I still plan to volunteer for the things we can still do,” said Busby. “The chamber always has something going on.”

The Chamber of Commerce will be throwing a dual retirement party for Kersey and Busby in mid November as a way say good-bye to a pair who have become as close to family as it is possible to get.