Matthews named Citizen of the Year

Service to his community above and beyond his role of county commissioner has earned Kyle Matthews the distinction of Gatesville Citizen of the Year.

That announcement was made by Mason Matthews, Kyle's son, who is a member of the Chamber's Board of Directors, during the 2022 Gatesville Chamber of Commerce Membership and Awards Banquet on Jan. 28 at Windmill Hill.

During the announcement, Mason noted that his father has been a resident of Gatesville for 20 years, a retired state employee and a passionate volunteer who is involved with several different local service organizations, including the Coryell County Youth Fair.

Mason said he has learned a lot about service to the community through his father's strong example.

"He truly takes what he teaches to heart," Mason said. "He is always polite and respectful and strives to be helpful, always looking to do what he can for others. I hope one day I can be half the citizen that he is. It is hard to quantify all that he does."

Matthews previously worked for both the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Texas Department of Public Safety. He and his family also opened the Elk Stop convenience store in Evant despite adverse economic circumstances at the time, saying, "I knew it was something the community needed."

Others honored during the banquet include:

* Director of the Year: Kaira Perez

* Ambassador of the Year: Diana Barnett

* Junior Ambassador of the Year: Grace Penrod

* Best Customer Service: Spur Nutrition

* New Business of the Year: Coffee Saloon

* People's Choice Award: Studebakers Pizza

* Business of the Year: First National Bank

Features on award winners will appear in upcoming editions of The Gatesville Messenger. A special section recapping the Chamber banquet is scheduled to appear in the Feb. 11 edition of The Messenger.