After Changing Thousands of Light Bulbs, Attending a Gazillion Council Meetings --

Two Chamber Favorites Call it a Day

Constance Washington will resign her post as Chamber Councils director in March, while Wayne Owens brought his service as maintenance chief at the Business Development Center to a close on January 8. Together the Chamber veterans form a halfcentury club.

Washington joined the Chamber in 1972 as a member of the minority affairs department. For more than 16 years she has worked with the Chamber’s councils, the organizations that support business interests and civic projects in 11 Chattanooga communities.

"Working with the councils has been rewarding," Washington says. They are active in support of businesses in their areas, as well as the entire community. They bring informative programs to the membership and sponsor events that benefit businesses, schools and the quality of life in their communities."

In recent years Washington has witnessed the expansion of councils in Enterprise Gateway, MidTown and Soddy-Daisy. She worked with the North Chattanooga Council to sustain northshore commercial activity during recent construction projects and supported the Downtown Council’s efforts to revitalize the central city district. Washington’s community service has focused on scouting. Presently she is coordinator of all five divisions of Girl Scouts, totaling 127 girls, sponsored by the Orchard Knob Missionary Baptist Church. In addition she is the leader of the junior scouts, composed of fourth through fifth grade girls.

"Our programs are designed to make the girls better women," Washington says. "We focus on leadership, responsibility and community service. We have speakers who are authorities in obesity, teen pregnancy, divorce and other topics. We think it’s important to discuss issues the girls are confronting now or may face as adults."

Washington’s husband, Wilbert, helps deliver boxes of Girl Scout cookies, and her son, Wilbert Jr., pitches in with projects, such as teaching the girls how to change tires and perform oil checks for their Car Care Badge. All three of Washington’s daughters -- Khendra, Doneda and Sherinda -- were scouts, and Doneda leads the Ambassador Troop at Orchard Knob. "Many of the girls return after graduating from college," Washington says. "When you see them come back and want to be part of the program, you know you’ve touched their lives in a positive way."

Last April Washington was honored for her family focus and community service on the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show. Khendra nominated her mother for the honor, which included a $1,000 prize. "She is always doing everything in her power to make sure everyone around her is taken care of," Khendra said.

Wayne Owens is the BDC’s Jack-of-alltrades, a burly and affable repository of building maintenance know-how that every homeowner would love to have on call. After 10 years at the BDC, Owens knows every square inch of the 125,000 square-foot brick behemoth, from the 45 toilets to the 70 sinks to the 100 air conditioners. He figures he’s changed 1,000 light bulbs a year and slapped a hundred gallons of paint on the walls annually.

One of Owens’ biggest challenges occurred a couple of years ago after the installation of new water meters. During the process trash infiltrated the water lines, holding the valves open.

Before long, the BDC was a flush-arama with water gushing from every toilet in the building. Owens worked until 1 a.m. to clear the lines and staunch the overflow. "Then I got up at 4 that morning to get here at 5, as usual," he says.

Owens takes satisfaction in keeping things running smoothly for the BDC tenants. "I’ve been proud to work for the Chamber and help people get started in business," he says. "I like taking all those maintenance problems away from them so they can concentrate on their businesses."

The long-time employee at Arnold Palmer’s company in Ooltewah expects to spend a lot of retirement time in his "dream" workshop in Hixson and camping with his wife Nancy. And he expects to stay in touch with the folks at the BDC who know they can call him at home to ask for help with a balky automobile or a faulty faucet. "Everybody loves him," says BDC building manager Bill Lupia. "He’s so personable and helpful."

– Carolyn Mitchell