Rick Craig/The Daily Sentinel, photo file

C. Wayne Mitchell, left, speaks with Ed Pool during Mitchell’s retirement ceremony in December at the Fredonia Hotel. Mitchell will receive a lifetime achievement award from the chamber later this month.

By: Josh Edwards Managing Editor, Daily Sentinel 

C. Wayne Mitchell, who led the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce for nearly a decade after a lengthy previous career in nonprofit management, will be honored for his life’s work here and beyond when the group hosts its annual meeting and banquet Sept. 24.

Mitchell was president and CEO of the local chamber from 2016 until his retirement in late 2023 where he helped shepherd the community through the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid inflation and business restrictions that followed.

He widely advocated for preparation for the coming Interstate 69 and a fostered in a renewed era of cooperation between public and private entities.

Mitchell credits his success over his more than four-decade career to the hard work of other people.

“I jokingly used to say that my job is to exploit the time, talent, and treasure of other people. And there’s so much truth to that,” Mitchell said.

The honor should be shared with the many people in Nacogdoches who helped accomplish the chamber’s objectives, he said.

“My role has been a facilitator. Much of the work was done by my boards and volunteers,” he said.

The hardest worker throughout his career, he said, is his wife of 54 years, Bonnie.

“She did all the hard stuff in the business. She’s a full partner in every aspect and in many ways probably deserves recognition more than I do,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell came to Nacogdoches in 2016 from Augusta, Maine, where he was deeply entrenched in the business community. There he ran ProdComm — a company assisting nonprofits in public policy lobbying, association management and training.

Among his clients was the Augusta Board of Trade, the chief economic development group for Maine’s capital city.

He previously held executive posts with the Augusta chamber, the Maine Publicity Bureau and at the national headquarters for Jaycees in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and was an instructor at the Institute for Organizational Management.

Mitchell’s son and family settled in Palestine, which drew him to East Texas when he heard the Nacogdoches chamber was seeking a CEO.

“I really wanted to be a part of their life. My son is my best friend on earth. I worked with him until a client stole him away from me,” he said.

Picking up and moving halfway across the country — or the globe — wasn’t unprecedented for Mitchell. He was born at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, during his father’s military service. He spent much of his youth in Germany and Taiwan.

“I’m proud that I pay attention to the lessons my mom and dad taught me. They grew up as a different generation, as part of the World War II generation. They taught me respect for others. I’m used about being overseas and being a guest in somebody else’s country,” he said.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is sponsored by ServiceMaster Piney Woods.

Other award recipients included:

• West Fraser, Large Business of the Year, sponsored by R&K Distributors

• Badders Law Firm, Medium Business of the Year, sponsored by Regions Bank

• Ted Smith — State Farm Insurance, Small Business of the year, sponsored by Commercial Bank of Texas

• Federation of Women’s Clubs, Non Profit of the Year, sponsored by Charles Pool Real Estate

• State Rep. Travis Clardy, C. Wayne Mitchell Advocacy Award, sponsored by Servpro

• John Ruckel, Citizen of the Year, sponsored by Tipton Ford.

Tickets and sponsorships are available for the Sept. 24 banquet. Call 936-560-5533 for more information.