Rallo, Boyd named San Angelo Citizens of the Year by Chamber of Commerce

John Tufts, San Angelo Standard-Times
·4 min read
Treva Boyd (left) and Barbara Rallo (right) stand in front of a cheering audience at the 106th Annual Banquet of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. The pair were named San Angelo's 2021 Citizens of the Year during the chamber's signature event. Jan. 20, 2022
Treva Boyd (left) and Barbara Rallo (right) stand in front of a cheering audience at the 106th Annual Banquet of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce. The pair were named San Angelo's 2021 Citizens of the Year during the chamber's signature event. Jan. 20, 2022

SAN ANGELO — Barbara Rallo and Treva Boyd were named San Angelo's 2021 Citizens of the Year on Thursday night.

The announcement was made at about 8:30 p.m. Jan. 20, during the 106th annual banquet of the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce.

About 500 members of the community who gathered at the McNease Convention Center, 501 Rio Concho Drive, stood to cheer as Rallo and Boyd walked to the podium.

The Citizen of the Year is selected by a committee of previous Citizen of the Year recipients. Qualities of the recipients include an individual or group who has significantly contributed to the quality of life in the community and have been involved in "quality and effective volunteer work," according to a news release. These recipients should also show leadership and passionately pursue the best for the community.

Rallo and Boyd make history with award

"For the first time in the history of the Citizen of the Year, our committee has selected a couple (who are) not married to each other," said Matt Lewis, who was last year's recipient of the Citizen of the Year award.

Lewis said both Rallo and Boyd collaborated to place San Angelo on the international art scene map with EnPleinAir Texas. The event, which brings hundreds of artists from around the country to paint along the banks of the Concho River and around San Angelo, is known nationally and internationally as a recognized public art program.

The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce held its 106th annual banquet Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at the McNease Convention Center.
The San Angelo Chamber of Commerce held its 106th annual banquet Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at the McNease Convention Center.

"This effort has helped our own San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts facilitate the program and gain increased national exposure all while raising several hundred thousand dollars each year to support the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts educational youth programming," Lewis said.

A native of San Angelo, Rallo graduated from Angelo State University and was active in establishing the “Host Family” program for international students at the university, a news release stated.

She was ASU’s First Lady from 2009-2012, was a member of the Texas Tech University Public Art Committee, and currently serves on the board for the Cultural Affairs Council and the San Angelo Symphony.

"We love our community," Rallo said Thursday night while surrounded by friends after receiving the award. "The heart of our city is in painting."

Treva Boyd (second from left) and Barbara Rallo were honored as the 2021 Citizens of the Year by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at the McNease Convention Center.
Treva Boyd (second from left) and Barbara Rallo were honored as the 2021 Citizens of the Year by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at the McNease Convention Center.

Boyd was born in Lamesa and attended ASU before graduating from Texas A&M in 1974, a news release stated.

"She’s been involved in community activities her entire life, being active in church, brownies, 4-H, Junior League, A&M Club, Fiesta del Concho, (and) teaching Sunday School at Southland Baptist," Lewis said, among a host of other accolades.

Boyd was the United Way Volunteer of the Year in 1989 while working at GTE and volunteering for West Texas Boys Ranch. She is the President & CEO of American Truck & RV.

"Art brings everybody together," Boyd said, adding that receiving the award was an amazing experience. "We've had so much fun doing (EnPleinAir)."

A perform spins on a metal ring Thursday night during the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce's 106th Annual Banquet at the McNease Convention Center. Jan. 20, 2022.
A perform spins on a metal ring Thursday night during the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce's 106th Annual Banquet at the McNease Convention Center. Jan. 20, 2022.

Previous San Angelo Citizens of the Year and how they helped the city

Matt Lewis was announced as San Angelo's Citizen of the Year in 2021 for his many contributions to the city as CEO and President of the San Angelo Area Foundation. In 2020, Lewis wrote about the foundation's milestones, where they gave $100 million in grants for 2019. The foundation had over $150 million in assets, helping a wide array of causes in San Angelo and the area.

In 2020's banquet, the chamber announced Lynn Shipley, unit director of the original H-E-B, as the 2019 Citizen of the Year. He has often been seen helping others and working alongside volunteers, including helping clean up after tornadoes tore through San Angelo in 2019.

Ronnie and Maria Hawkins were honored as the 2018 Citizens of the Year for their philanthropy and missionary work through the nonprofit organization they founded, Ezra Visions Ministries, which helped Haitians displaced by the deadly 2010 earthquake. In 2020, Ronnie Hawkins became the president of Angelo State University.

Rick "Jay Michaels" Mantooth was the 2017 Citizen of the Year for his years spent improving the community. He is the vice president and general manager of Foster Communications and was known as the voice of Central High School Bobcat Football.

Elta Joyce Murphey McAfee earned the honor for 2016 and has left her mark in the arts of San Angelo. Murphey McAfee became a founding member of the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts and contributed $3 million toward the restoration of the city auditorium. That auditorium has since been renamed in her honor as the Elta Joyce Murphey Performance Hall.

Treva Boyd (left) and Barbara Rallo (right) were named San Angelo's 2021 Citizens of the Year by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce during its 106th Annual Banquet at the McNease Convention Center. Jan. 20, 2022
Treva Boyd (left) and Barbara Rallo (right) were named San Angelo's 2021 Citizens of the Year by the San Angelo Chamber of Commerce during its 106th Annual Banquet at the McNease Convention Center. Jan. 20, 2022

Others are reading: San Angelo residents gather to honor life of Martin Luther King Jr.

John Tufts covers enterprise and investigative topics in West Texas. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Barbara Rallo, Treva Boyd named San Angelo Citizens of the Year