News Release
Shelley Hansel-Williams is CornerBank’s Community Cornerstone Award recipient in Wellington. In recognition of her service, CornerBank will contribute $100 to the non-profit organization of her choice. A reception honoring Hansel-Williams’ service will be at 4:00 p.m., Thursday, July 12, at CornerBank, 119 South Washington. The public is invited to attend the reception.
Shelley Hansel was born in Wellington in 1967, the last of eight children. Her father, John Hansel, was a BNSF railroader and her mother, Dorothy, worked as the Executive Secretary for Ted Clark at Clark Manufacturing. Her mother, who is now 87, lives at Springview Manor in Conway Springs.
Shelley attended Wellington schools and graduated from Wellington High School in 1986. She was the homecoming queen and head cheerleader. After high school, Shelley attended the University of Kansas to study journalism. She was drawn to broadcasting after she took a Reporting 101 course and then worked at the campus radio station. While she was a student at KU, she had an internship with KWCH television in Wichita and worked at WIBW in Topeka reporting the news.
After graduation from KU, Shelley took a job with KWCH as their Hutchinson bureau chief whose duties included interviewing, writing, video editing and reporting on the air the news gathered that day. In 1991, Shelley was moved to KWCH’s Wichita office. She stayed with KWCH until 1994 when she took a job with KAKE TV. While at KAKE, she was a reporter, a morning personality and did the weather. At the end of 1996, Shelley moved to Phoenix to work for the NBC affiliate, KPNX-TV until 2000. In 2000 she returned to Kansas and worked at KAKE until 2003.
In 2004 Shelley had her first hands-on experience with the Wellington Wheat Festival. That year, she was a volunteer for the Chamber and was in charge of several Wheat Festival events. Later in 2004, the Executive Director position was open and Shelley got the job. Except for a short break in 2009, Shelley has been at the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce ever since.
As Executive Director of the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce and CVB, Shelley wears many hats and has her hands in many things going on in Wellington. Through her position in the Chamber, she has been involved in Downtown Development, Wellington Economic Development, POKS, I-35 Coalition, Sumner County Economic Development, Go Wichita CVB and Leadership Cowley County. Her vision and persistence turned the Wellington Wheat Festival into the Kansas Wheat Festival. She has reached out to communities outside Wellington to include them in the promotion of the Festival.
Outside her duties at the Chamber, Shelley is or has been a member of Noon Lions Club, Women of Wellington, St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, Kiwanis, Crusader Club, Pink Lady Volunteer at Sumner Regional Medical Center, Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society, and Eisenhower PTA.
Through all this, Shelley is married to Vance Williams and together they have seven children: Carson, Elise, Alex, Aspen, Auni, Gunner and of course, the two year old terror himself, Vohn!
Volunteers are the cornerstones of healthy communities. They’re on your corner – the people next door. They’re in your corner – helping make our community stronger. The Community Cornerstone Award recognizes the time and effort of volunteers dedicated to serving people and enhancing the quality of life in Sumner County. If you know of a Sumner County resident who has shown servant leadership in community service, contact Keri Shimkus at 620.326.5929 or keris@cornerbanks.com for nomination guidelines.
Tim Hays is CornerBank’s Community Cornerstone Award recipient in Arkansas City for June. In recognition of his service, CornerBank will contribute $100 to the non-profit organization of his choice. He has selected Habitat for Humanity and the Salvation Army to share the contribution. A reception honoring Hays’ service will be at 3:30 p.m., Thursday, June 28, in the CornerBank community room, 125 N. Summit. The public is invited to attend the reception.
As a local businessman, Hays wanted to give back to the community and sought out organizations that bring about change such as the Jaycees, Lions and Optimist Clubs.
He has served as president of the Early Birds Lions Club three times since its charter in 1981. He has served in every local officer capacity, except secretary, and is currently treasurer. His tireless support of the Lions’ organization has taken him many places around the globe, including South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and China. He has been recognized many times for his endeavors in Lionism, including the coveted 100% District Governors Award, the Senior Master Award and Melvin Jones Fellow. He has sponsored more than 50 people into Lionism. This past March, he received the third-highest recognition award in Lionism, the International Presidents Appreciation Award for fulfilling the mission of Lions Clubs International.
For his work with the Salvation Army, he was presented with the Harry Long Award, which is given each year to someone who generously gives time, energy and resources for the betterment of the community and the cause of the Salvation Army. He currently is in his fourth year on the advisory board.
Hays has been involved many years with the Ark City Habitat for Humanity program, where he has helped raised funds needed to build the homes and also uses the SkyHook crane from his sign business to set roof trusses. He began serving on the Habitat board in 2008 and currently is vice president, as well as serving on multiple committees.
Hays was born in Hays, Kansas, and graduated from Oakley High in 1967. He started his career in the sign business in Wakeeney, later moving to Wichita. In 1980, he relocated to Arkansas City to purchase a sign company from Glenn Houdek and the Hays Sign Company was born. He later discovered the art of screen printing and established Precision Screen Print, providing imprinted sportswear, caps, jackets and signage. He expanded his company multiple times as his business flourished and as he continued to look for ways to serve the community.
Hays was selected for the award by the Community Cornerstone Award selection committee, which includes Bob Foster, Arleta Rice, Judy Reedy, Curt Freeland and Brenda Combs. All are previous recipients of the Cornerstone Award. Volunteers are the cornerstones of healthy communities. They’re on your corner – the people next door. They’re in your corner – helping make our community stronger. The Community Cornerstone Award recognizes the time and effort of volunteers dedicated to serving people and enhancing the quality of life in Cowley County. If you know of a Cowley County resident who has shown servant leadership in community service, contact Joyce McArtor at 442-6500 or joycem@cornerbanks.com for nomination guidelines.
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