Photos by Bill Petzold • Caro Chamber of Commerce executive director Brenda Caruthers holds her husband Jim’s hand Saturday at the Caro Knights of Columbus Hall on Ryan Road as she realizes that she has been named the 2013 Caro Citizen of the Year. The identity of the recipient, selected by previous Citizens of the Year, is a closely guarded secret that is not announced until the annual awards banquet.
By Bill Petzold
Editor
CARO — Life has its share of closely guarded secrets.
What really happens at Area 51? Which are the favored flavors that make up the Colonel’s 11 herbs and spices? Is there really a monster hiding in the depths of Loch Ness?
Add to that list this question: “Who is the 2013 Caro Citizen of the Year?”
Now that the award has been handed out at a banquet Saturday evening at the Caro Knights of Columbus Hall, the truth may be told: This year the honor belongs to Caro Chamber of Commerce executive director Brenda Caruthers.
How did the Caro Chamber manage to keep the award a secret from its own executive director? Let’s just say that the people who knew — the past COTY award winners, who select the year’s COTY, as well as the chamber directors — all were sworn to keep that information a closely guarded secret.
“I had contacted Brenda regarding who the winners were for this year’s banquet, and she told me the Junior Citizen of the Year and forwarded the information about the other winners,” said Ed Smith, who presented Caruthers with a Congressional recognition certificate on behalf of U.S. Congresswoman Candice Miller. “I said, ‘What about the Citizen of the Year?’ She said, ‘I can’t tell you that.’ …
“My boss, Congresswoman Candice Miller, she’s the vice-chair of Homeland Security. I’m on conference calls continually that require clearance for classified material. The chief of staff in Washington and my district director — I’m not about to tell them I can’t figure out who the Citizen of the Year award winner is for the city of Caro. So finally Jim McLoskey sent me the information — and I can assure you that this year’s winner did not know.”
Caro Citizen of the Year 2012 Jim Will introduced Caruthers as the award winner. As Will read the winner’s bio and Caruthers began to realize that he was speaking about her, her husband, Jim Caruthers, came to where she had been sitting, camera in hand, ready to take a photo of the winner for the Chamber newsletter. Will said he was happy the award went to someone like Brenda, who was worked all her life while raising a family and moving, because it’s not easy to adjust to a new community. He said the award showed that as much as Brenda and Jim have embraced their community, the community has embraced them back.
Brenda Caruthers was born and raised in Farmington, Missouri. She and her husband Jim have been married for 46 years, and the couple have two signs and five grandchildren.
As Will welcomed Caruthers to the stage, she was joined by her family, who had been waiting to surprise her.
“Well I don’t see how this could happen because I’m not from Caro,” Brenda Caruthers said in accepting the award, drawing a laugh from the crowd of about 200 people. “I thought the Citizen of the Year had to be a Caro resident, but this is a shock. …
“I’m just so honored to serve you people in Caro. It’s just a privilege to me, and I enjoy working with all of you, and respect you and care about you, and I’ve just have enjoyed working with you very much. I’m not a speaker that knows when it comes to the spur of the moment, but I just want to thank you very much.”
Senator Mike Green presented Caruthers with a special proclamation signed by himself, Representative Terry Brown and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder.
“My wife and I have known (Brenda) and Jim and the boys for a long, long time. … You picked a really, really good person this year, very deserving,” Green said before reading the proclamation, which stated in part:
“For the past eight years she has built the Caro Chamber of Commerce into one of the most active chambers in the region. As its executive director, she has provided awesome leadership, and continues to bring people together for a common purpose. Throughout her life, Brenda has been devoted to her community, her family, her neighbors and those in need. Her passion for goodwill and integrity have been reflected in all of her endeavors throughout her time of service. She is an individual who cares deeply about those around her, as evidenced by her mission to make our community a great place to live, work and worship with pride. Her work is certainly deserving of this recognition, as she has blessed the lives of so many.”
Caro Chamber president Susan Rickwalt-Holder said Chamber directors were sworn to secrecy, and was relieved they could preserve the surprise for the award presentation.
“I speak for all the chamber directors, she has made our job so much easier,” Holder said. “Also she is one of the reasons why we have an active chamber and are so involved. We have 205 chamber members now, and it’s all because of Brenda.”
Merit Award
Caro Department of Public Works superintendent Charlie Sundblad was presented with this year’s Merit Award. Sundblad has been with the Caro DPW for 25 years and superintendent for 15 years.
Sundblad, known around Caro as a person who doesn’t seek recognition, said it took some coersion on the part of his wife Carol to get him to attend the event.
“It is appreciated that people notice my hard work, but I don’t do things to get kudos,” Sundblad said. “Like I said Saturday, I’m kind of a private person; I just do what it takes to make the community function and operate.
“They had a very tough time getting me there, trust met. It took my wife being almost to tears to get me there. That’s not my thing. I’m more or less behind the scenes, saying ‘I’ll take care of it.’ It does mean a lot that people appreciate it though. It shows that somebody’s watching and paying attention to what I do.”
Junior Citizen Award
This year’s Junior Citizen Award was presented to Blair Tiseo.
“Earning Caro’s Junior Citizen of the Year Award is very important to me because it proves that all of the hard work I put into my job, sports, and school have payed off enough that I be recognized by our Chamber of Commerce,” Tiseo said. “Seeing so many others in the community deserving of this award and realizing I was lucky enough to be chosen is truly an honor in which a ‘thank you’ does not suffice.”
Tiseo, a senior at Caro High School, has her eyes set on a career in medicine after college.
“Starting this fall I will be attending Central Michigan University’s Honors College as a Centralis Scholar Scholarship recipient,” she said. “I plan to study neuroscience as an undergraduate and hope to complete a Physician’s Assistant program unless I choose to attend medical school.”
Caro senior Ann Starling also was a finalist for the award, presented by Mark Ransford and 2012 Junior Citizen Nichole Hodges. Tiseo was in Lansing for Youth in Government, so her parents Dr. Kenneth Tiseo and Michelle Tiseo accepted the award on her behalf, giving a humorous acceptance speech.
“Kathy Neuman and Barb Holsworth deserve my biggest thanks for nominating me for this award as well as the board who served in interviewing me. I also owe a big thanks to my high school for offering so many great clubs and groups that I can be a part of. My bosses Linda and Ross Downing also unknowingly assisted in my receiving of this award as without my job at The Oven I would not interact nearly as much with my community as I can happily say that I do. My parents also deserve much thanks for raising me with such high standards regarding school, leadership, responsibility, and morals.
Chamber Service Award
This year’s Chamber Service Award was presented by Chamber president Susan Rickwalt-Holder and director Danielle Folino to Consumers Energy and accepted on the company’s behalf by area manager Mary Kulis.
Special Tribute Award
Chamber treasurer Tony Budreau presented this year’s Special Tribute Award to the Tuscola County Democratic Party for the group’s allowing the Chamber to use its Caro headquarters at no cost to serve as Gingerbread Central during last year’s Gingerbread Village event. Party president John Hunter accepted the award.