Zechman, Spivey honored by Chamber

By CHARLES W. JOHNSON / News Editor for the Southern Standard

Bill Zechman, left, received the Distinguished Citizen Award while Ray Spivey took home the Free Enterprise plaque at the Chamber of Commerce annual meeting Monday. (Charles W. Johnson photo)

The McMinnville-Warren County Chamber of Commerce handed out its premier yearly awards honoring Warren County’s outstanding citizens for 2004 Monday night at its annual meeting attended by an estimated 350 members of the local business organization and their guests.

The Distinguished Citizen Award was presented to well-known WCPI radio personality and county commissioner Bill Zechman, and Ray Spivey, of Cumberland Lumber and Manufacturing, was chosen to receive the Free Enterprise Award.

In presenting the Distinguished Citizen Award previous winner Larry Flatt talked about the criteria for achieving this honor, which includes extraordinary commitment to the community through civic and service involvement, distinguished achievement in one’s chosen vocation, dedication and involvement in religious life and being possessed of high moral character.

“Bill Zechman exemplifies these qualities,” said Flatt.

Zechman, who is also longtime State Farm insurance agent, said the honor caught him quite unaware. It was announced as he was in the process of recording the meeting for public access station WCPI and he actually had to literally abandon his machine to receive the award.

“I am deeply humbled and greatly surprised,” Zechman said. Characteristically, he was also quick to give credit to his fellow citizens.

“There are many people in Warren County who deserve this award more than I do,” he said. “There are so many in the community who quietly go about doing good for other people, day in and day out serving their fellow human beings, very quietly and in an unassuming way, and they are truely distinguished citizens.”

Zechman said he is proud to be a part of Warren County and applauds its sense of community.

“I’ve seen Warren countians,” Zechman said, “if they know of a need, and they are persuaded it is a genuine human need, they will move mountains to help people.”

Daughter Christie Zechman sees that very quality in her father, and said she is pleased to see him recognized.

“I think he’s the most deserving individual that I can think of,” Christie said. “He devotes so much of his heart and his time to helping others, and I’m very proud of him.”

On receiving the Free Enterprise Award, Ray Spivey, who, as president and now chairman of the board of Cumberland Lumber, has helped take the company from humble beginnings in 1944 to a company employing 190 people with sales of more than $30 million in 2004, said he feels honored and grateful.

“I feel that it’s probably one of the high points of my life,” Spivey said. “I consider it to be a great honor coming from my friends and neighbors in town.”

Son Ray “Buzz” Spivey, said he was pleased to see his father so honored.

“I think it’s a well-deserved honor for him,” Buzz said. “He’s someone that, for the most part, kind of stays in the background on a lot of things, but it’s good to see him recognized.”