Texas Border Business
Cliffe Killam officially assumed the role of Chairman of the Board for the Laredo Chamber of Commerce during the month of October of this year. Although his administration formally began as of October 1, an official ceremony where outgoing Chairman Parker Neel symbolically passes stewardship of the Chamber to Killam by handing over the gavel is scheduled for October 28. In taking over the Chamber reins, Cliffe Killam follows in the footsteps of previous generations of his family who left a mark in the Chamber chronicles – i.e., his great grandfather O.W. Killam, who served in the same role from1924 to 1928, and his grandfather Radcliffe Killam, who then followed in 1945-1946. The Chamber Chairman of the Board is the elected volunteer official who presides as head of the Board of Directors for a one-year term.
Cliffe Killam is President of Killam Oil and President & CEO of Killam Development. For Killam Oil, Cliffe has helped navigate the business through the difficult challenges presented by the ongoing COVID pandemic, with an eye towards greater efficiency and growth through acquisitions. The Oil & Gas Investor publication, in fact, will be recognizing him for his outstanding contributions to the industry and business leadership through their national “40 Under 40” recognition program. On the development side, Cliffe loves the highly transactional, fast-paced nature of real estate, and, with his team, has increased the company’s holdings, development activities, and land position in markets across South Texas, producing strong financial returns and outpacing industry competitors. He also helps manage all of the Killam Family’s various business interests.
Aside from the involvement in his company, Cliffe is deeply involved across South Texas in various non-profits, with a particular focus on higher education and economic development. He strongly believes in servant leadership with a passion to see others succeed, grow, and prosper. This call led him to help establish a permanent endowment at Texas A&M International University to benefit the children of Laredo police as they pursue their educational dreams, and to spend almost a decade advocating for the recently approved Petroleum Engineering degree at Texas A&M International University.
Cliffe’s formal education includes a Master’s Degree from The University of Texas at Austin in Energy and Mineral Resources from the Petroleum Engineering College, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the McCombs School of Business, and a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature from Boston University. His commitment to work does not deter from family life and, he argues, he does find time for leisure. Cliffe enjoys spending time with his family and friends, reading, traveling, watching movies, and archery hunting. He is the son of David Killam and Mary Lamar Leyendecker, and has one brother, David Winfield Killam. He is married to Christina Killam, the daughter of Beto and Prissy Trevino. Christina and Cliffe have a one-year old son, Oliver Winfield Killam, and a newborn daughter, Charlotte Grace Killam.
Cliffe states proudly that he is honored to be the next Chairman of the Laredo Chamber of Commerce. During these challenging times, his promise is to focus on listening to membership and the broader business community, communicating the role and purpose of the Chamber, and advocating for the Laredo business community. The theme of his vision for the Chamber this year is “Getting Stronger”, which is a recognition of the strength and resilience of the Laredo business community, as well as the broader community that is working together to meet the current challenges. Asked to describe the role of the Chamber in one simple sentence, Cliffe, a staunch believer in the dignity of hard work and power of business to be a transformative force for good in the world, simply states, “The Chamber’s purpose is to be the voice and champion for business.”
The Passing of the Gavel ceremony, traditionally held during a luncheon, this year will be conducted virtually, given the current social distancing protocols. The presentation, which will form part of a production titled “The Gavel and the Stars” is scheduled to be aired on Wednesday, October 28 via Web at 6:00 pm. The production will then follow with a telecast to be aired the following Sunday (November 1) courtesy of KGNS-TV via three of its local channels: KYLX 13.1 at 7:30 am, KGNS 8.1 (NBC) Sunday at 9 am, and KGNS 8.2 (ABC) at 10:30pm. For additional information contact the Laredo Chamber of Commerce at 956-722-9895.
About the Chamber: Founded in 1915, the Laredo Chamber of Commerce is Laredo’s and Webb County’s longest-running business organization. Headquartered at 2310 San Bernardo Ave. since 1974, the Laredo Chamber has been an advocate for the local business community for over a century. The Laredo Chamber of Commerce is a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. With 642 members representative of every industry in the community, the Laredo Chamber is accredited by this organization with 5 stars. Only 200 chambers out of 7000 across the country are accredited by this organization.
