Longtime Arcadia Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Mary Hansen and Don Fandry were given the rare honor of being named Ambassador for Life Tuesday.
Outgoing chairwoman Sylvia Ramos of Dilbeck Real Estate created the awards and presented them during the monthly Ambassadors meeting to Hansen and Fandry, both Chamber members and Ambassadors for several decades. Fandry said he was once President of the Arcadia Chamber’s now-defunct Jaycees (Junior Chamber of Commerce Arcadia) and is a lifetime Jaycees International Senator. Both had only fond memories of their time as Ambassadors except for when Hansen laughingly recalled when there was a waiting list to be an Ambassador and she was told by the leader at the time that she could not jump ahead on the list and would only be selected when the leader decided she wanted to add her.
Mary and Don are anxious to continue being Ambassadors — for life! (The only other lifetime awards known to have been presented to Ambassadors were to Tom Romano and Marie Fay some years ago.)
Ramos will hand off the chair duties next month to Rich Jones of the San Marino Tribune. Ramos will continue to be an Ambassador.