San Angelo Chamber of Commerce Names Ronnie and Maria Hawkins Citizens of the Year

On January 24, 2019, San Angelo Chamber of Commerce presented the Citizens of the Year Award to Air Force Lt Gen (ret) Ronnie Hawkins and his wife of nearly four decades, Maria. The announcement was made during the Chamber’s annual banquet at the McNease Convention Center with close family and friends in attendance.

After retiring from the Air Force in 2015, Ronnie and Maria returned to San Angelo immediately made an impact on the community, where they organized successful support drives for schools, created two scholarships, and passionately advocated to encourage surrounding organizations and churches to aid in supporting the community’s minority youth. The Hawkins’ also played an instrumental role in restoring San Angelo’s historic Dunbar Library.

The Hawkins’ mutual passion as leaders for community health is not only well-known to their neighbors and fellow San Angelo citizens but also in other parts of the world. Ezra Vision Ministries (EVM), for example, is a non-profit organization that was founded by the Hawkins’ to help Haitians displaced by the deadly 2010 earthquake and has already completed six humanitarian and missionary trips to the country. Additionally, the organization has built a school which supports over 350 students today. General Hawkins continues to dedicate himself to philanthropic and community work, while also serving as the pastor of the Christian Fellowship Baptist Church.

Both the General and his wife Maria have unquestionably “stepped up.” When presenting the pair with the Citizens of the Year award, Chamber of Commerce Chairman Rick Mantooth said “Few people can lead lives that are exemplary in every stage of life,” speaking of the Hawkins. “They have constantly excelled in their personal lives, military service, dedication to their faith and community. Our Citizens of the Year are our very own superheroes.”

The Hawkins Group offers our heartfelt congratulations to both Ronnie and Maria on their continued service to their community.

For more information about the award, click here.