Executive Director Message

Clark H. Caras

A veritable kaleidoscope of capital in a place filled with beginnings and endings, which is what business and commerce is all about. Literally, it's been 100 years ago last month in which my grandfather, Angel Kyreakos Caras, came to Spanish Fork, helped build the railroad to Price but ever be drawn back through the canyon to south Utah County.

After several Greek young men choose the bottom of the canyon over the beautiful Wasatch Front, Grandpa Caras bought their farmsteads, feel in love with Mary Sorenson of Spanish Fork and started having babies, bought five sheep out of Canada and the Caras Ranch was born and 100 years later in January of this year became a member of the Spanish Fork Salem Chamber of Commerce.

Our community is so filled with diversity. What other town with a majority population of LDS has a monument to two wonderfully brave Catholic priests in its city park? And on the windy bench of town you had the Icelanders and along Main Street and in the northern quadrant you had the Welsh and a few Brits brave enough to settle among the Welshmen.

Logistically with business you plan for sales and deliveries, and just two weeks ago on the Caras Ranch a planned delivery came in the form of a beautiful soft brown filly with a star on her forehead born to a mare who carries with much love the name Brownie. So I guess the little one should be named "Bite Size" in honor of the ones you can get at Macy's, just big enough to pop in your mouth. Or maybe, we should name her Brown Bettie in honor to the desert I know is still a pioneer favorite served in homes in Salem?

No matter the name. The birth was a success. And at some point along the way that baby is going to grow and become a part of the commerce and enterprise of the Caras Ranch, and in doing so contribute to the Spanish Fork Salem Chamber of Commerce.

Just as two wonderful people are bringing some part of Chamber enterprise to an end, and yet in doing so are making things grow and prosper. I have to pay tribute to Rebecca McConnell our past president who is headed to California and going to spend her days and nights working to get Disney to open the much needed and anticipated Arrowhead Trail Disneyland. Becky is leaving way to quick, but not quick enough for me to have come to know of the contribution she made to the Chamber and this city. And I thank you Becky for asking me to define what "Chamber" means to me.

And then there is another who is jumping from one ship in the Chamber to another. And that is Randi Kaufman who is taking the talents she had that have built a mighty and strong ship here at the Chamber office as the Executive Assistant, to her own ship filled with the creativity, marketing, photography, videography, and ideas that have made her one of Spanish Fork's young entrepreneurs.. And one of the ones to give a start to a wonderful thing called Women in Business. For myself I have to admit I'm angry at her for leaving this novice along, but she had promised me that i can't "break anything", and I guess we'll see.

Beginnings and endings. Sometimes there are too many of one and not enough of the other. And that, is what makes life interesting.