Mary Whitaker thought she had won the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes when a Greater Tomball Area Chamber of Commerce (GTACC) delegation showed up at her house unexpectedly.

“I saw the flowers and balloons and immediately thought of the sweepstakes,” Whitaker said. “But this is so much better. To be recognized by your peers is an honor that truly humbles me.”

Originally from Scotland, Whitaker came to the United States from Canada in 1964. She arrived in Tomball in 1973 after marrying Travis Whitaker, local realtor and developer. Although her home address is in Tomball, Whitaker is an active volunteer in both Tomball and Magnolia. She is a charter member of First Presbyterian Church of Tomball were she serves as an elder, treasurer, is on the Property and Commitment Committee and sings in the choir.

Whitaker is the Second Vice President of the Tomball Pachyderm Club and a director of the Lone Star College-Montgomery Life Long Learning Advisory Board. She is an active Tomball Magnolia Waller Medical Ministry (TOMAGWA) volunteer and Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministry (TEAM) supporter. Whitaker is also a member of the Daughters of the British Empire and was the recipient of the 1996 Montgomery County Women’s Council of Organizations Woman of Distinction.

Before retiring in 1993, Whitaker was an instructor for the Houston Association of Credit Management, where she earned certification as a credit business fellow, domestic and international and was named Woman of the Year. She also worked as a credit manager for the oil industry with clients including Hughes Tool and Smith International.

Whitaker and her husband have been members of the GTACC for many years.

“Mary is known for her passion for life and most of all for her generous and gracious heart,” GTACC President Bruce Hillegeist said. “She gives so much to so many and makes a difference in the lives of everyone she encounters.”

Deborah Petty, GTACC 2010 Citizen of the Year, summed up Whitaker’s community involvement by saying, “Mary is everywhere, always ready to help. She is simply an exceptional individual.”

The Greater Tomball Area Citizen of the Year is selected by a group of community leaders including past Citizen of the Year recipients. The award is Tomball’s highest community honor and is reserved for those who are very involved through their profession, civic clubs, church and other activities that keep Tomball thriving. The Citizen of the Year is recognized annually at the GTACC Chairman’s Ball.

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