Chamber of Commerce Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Throw on your beads Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce is celebrating Mardi Gras in July at this year's Membership Social and Meeting. The event will be held at the St. Robert Community Center on July 17th beginning at 6 p.m. Our sponsor for the evening is Citizens Mortgage Company, your home loan specialists. Get your reservations in now for the party of the summer by calling (573) 336-5121. Tickets are $15 each.

Due to the Bylaw changes that took place in May we will not be voting, but rather announcing, the new Board of Directors and Board of Director's President Mike Dunbar.

Are you interested in running for the Board? There is still time, petitions with signatures from 5% of the membership in good standing are due to the Chamber office by 5 p.m. on June 5th. The Nominating Committee of the Board of Directors has met and nominated four candidates for the Board of Directors. That slate of Nominees is as follows:

St. Robert - There are two (2) board seats open in St. Robert. These are three-year terms.

Incumbent Brad Budolfson (Hogan Land Title): A graduate of College of the Ozarks a.k.a. "Hard Work U" in Branson, Missouri, Brad Budolfson moved to Lebanon in May of 2005. Brad and his wife of 10 years, Errin, came to the area to manage a new branch of Hogan Land Title. On June 1, 2005 Hogan Land Title Co of Pulaski County opened its doors on Missouri Avenue in St. Robert.
While in Branson, Brad received a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. He also worked at the college to pay for tuition while holding an off campus job as an assistant golf professional at Ledgestone Country Club in Stonebridge Village. After four years of instructing, playing, and basically breathing golf, Brad took a job as a lender at Branson Bank. This small "hometown" bank, taught him the value of community and leadership in the community.
In Waynesville - St. Robert and the surrounding Pulaski County, Brad was excited to find a close knit community that shared the values of community involvement and leadership. He quickly joined the Rotary Club of Pulaski County and Friends of the Fort in Lebanon to develop community ties in his new home. Brad and His wife have enjoyed the past four years in this area, and look forward to a great future here.
When not being active in the community or working, Brad enjoys all sports. With an extensive background in golf, you will most likely find him hitting the links in his spare time, but he also enjoys basketball, tennis, disc golf, biking, and fishing.
Brad is excited to continuing serving as a Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and a Board of Director, and looks forward to his future in the Waynesville-St. Robert area. "It is a wonderful and unique community that I have the pleasure to serve. I look forward to the opportunity to do so, and the relationships that will be gained through community involvement."

Incumbent Marsha Mercer (Ehrhardt Properties): Marsha has been employed with Fort Wood Hotels by Ehrhardt Properties for the past five years and currently serves as the General Manager of the Candlewood Suites. She is the proud parent of three beautiful children, Levi 24, Kristopher 20, and Savannah 16. The oldest is serving in the USAF. Kristopher is serving in the US ARMY and is currently deployed to Iraq. Savannah will be a high school Junior this fall. She is involved in the art and drama clubs. Marsha is currently the Vice President of the Chamber Ambassador Club.

Waynesville - There is one (1) board seat open in Waynesville. This is a three-year term.

Incumbent Ronda Cortesini (Allen & Rector): Ronda Leigh (Neff) Cortesini graduated in 1990 from Texas State University (formerly Southwest Texas State) in San Marcos, Texas, with a Bachelor's Degree in English. She graduated from South Texas College of Law with honors in 1992. During college and law school, Ronda served in the Texas Army National Guard as a Legal Assistant. Ronda was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1993. She was commissioned into the Judge Advocate General's Corps the same year, and continued to serve honorably as a Judge Advocate in the National Guard and U.S. Army Reserves until 2004.
Ronda's career as a lawyer began in a small general practice in Austin, Texas, where she concentrated on family and real estate law, representing clients in contested divorces and property owners in contract and boundary disputes. From 1994 to 2001, she worked for the Office of the Attorney General of Texas, where she represented the Texas Department of Transportation in jury and bench trials, administrative hearings, and appeals in state and federal forums. As an Assistant Attorney General, Ronda's practice included condemnation, environmental, construction, regulatory, and real estate law. In addition, as Managing Attorney for Administrative, Contract, and Environmental Law, Ronda managed attorneys assigned to cases within those areas of law. Her work in administrative law was instrumental in protecting consumers from unscrupulous business practices and controlling the blight of billboards on Texas highways. Ronda's trial and appellate work resulted in several decisions that changed Texas law and several published opinions.
In 2001, Ronda accepted a position as Corporate Counsel for Broadwing Communications Services, Inc., where she managed litigation, negotiated and drafted real estate and network contracts involving indefeasible rights to use, and provided corporate executives and management legal advice regarding real estate, contract, and governmental issues.
Ronda moved to Missouri to enjoy the rural environment and her parents, who have lived in the area since 1986. Ronda was licensed to practice law in Missouri in 2004 and worked with the firm of Lowe & Lowe, LLC, before joining Allen & Rector, P.C. Her practice includes criminal and traffic, family, real estate, contract, business litigation, and appellate law. Ronda also represents several public entities. She is active in the community and in her church and serves on several boards, including the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce. She enjoys spending time with her family.
Ronda is licensed to practice law in Texas and Missouri and has practiced in the United States Circuit Courts of the Northern, Western, and Southern Districts of Texas, as well as the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

Membership at Large - There is one (1) board seat open from the Membership at Large. This is a three-year term.

Incumbent Lindall Mostajo (Armed Forces Bank): Lindall Mostajo, is the Vice President and manager of Armed Forces Bank, N.A. with Dickinson Financial Corporation. Lindall is from West Plains, Missouri, home of the Zizzers. She attended Southwest Missouri State University majoring in Art and Music, and has been working in the banking industry for over 30 years. Lindall is married to Andy Mostajo. They reside just outside the St. Robert, Missouri city limits with a Dixon address. Lindall and her husband have been community supporters since 1985 when Andy retired from the Army.

Lindall enjoys her job, her staff and her community. She is a board member of the Pulaski County Armed Services YMCA and is serving this year on the ASYMCA National Board. As a member of the Committee of Fifty and Chamber of Commerce, she supports all activities on Fort Leonard Wood and in the surrounding communities. Lindall and Andy are active members of the Church of God, St. Robert, Mo. Lindall serves on the state board of the Missouri Women of the Church of God and is currently the local president. She is a mother of two and grandmother of three. Her son, Andy III, is a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force with the 1st Special Operations Group stationed in Florida. She enjoys being outside with her grand kids, cooking and baking and fishing at Lake of The Ozarks.