Frank and Gerry Leftwich were named the 2005 Citizens of the Year at the Chamber's Annual Banquet on Feb. 9. RICHARDSON (Feb. 10, 2006) – In only the second time in the award’s history, the Richardson Chamber of Commerce honored two individuals as the Richardson Citizen of the Year at its 49th Annual Banquet on Feb. 9. Frank and Gerry Leftwich were presented the awards before a sold-out crowd of nearly 800 attendees. “This is not a co-award,” said Mike Spence, the 2004 Citizen of the Year who presented the awards to the Leftwiches. “They are two especially deserving individuals whose accomplishments as volunteers in the community are worthy of the recognition being given here tonight.” The Leftwiches moved to Richardson in 1969 and quickly established records of public service. Frank Leftwich, a retired U.S. Marine Corps fighter pilot and business executive, is chairman of the board of the Richardson Hospital Authority, a position he has held since 2003, and helped develop plans to add a second campus of the Richardson Regional Medical Center in East Richardson. He also served as president, and then chairman, of the board of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra from 2001-2004, during which the Symphony made the transition to the Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts. In his professional life, Leftwich held positions with Scott Paper, Dallas Airmotive, Aviall, General Electric and Rolls Royce. “There is something special in Richardson that we found a long time ago,” Frank Leftwich said upon receiving the award. “It makes it easy for those of us who wish to volunteer to stay here and do that.” Gerry Leftwich served as a City Council member from 1991-1995 where she was an advocate for quality of life issues including beautification, parks and recreation and the arts. She also served as the founding president of the Prairie Creek Elementary P.T.A.; was a member of the City of Richardson Library Board; and helped establish the Richardson Symphony Debutante program within the Richardson Symphony League. She currently serves as a member of the City Parks and Recreation Commission and the Advisory Board of the University of Texas at Dallas’ School of Arts and Humanities. “We’re like so many people in Richardson who volunteer, it’s easy to do that in this town because we have a love for it,” said Gerry Leftwich. “I thank you very much for inviting us here and honoring us. I’m humbled.” The Citizen of the Year is chosen by an anonymous committee. It has been awarded every year since 1965. Dot McCalpin and Kent Black both received the award in 1990. The 49th Annual Banquet also featured keynote speaker AT&T Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre and the passing of the gavel from 2005 Chamber Chairman Charles W. Eisemann to 2006 Chairman of the Board Paul Voelker. The event was held at the Renaissance Richardson Hotel. It was the biggest crowd ever for a Richardson Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet.