04/24/2026
The City of El Campo is proud to celebrate an incredible honor for one of our very own. 🎉
Please join us in congratulating Mayor Eugene Bustamante on being named the El Campo Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year!
This recognition reflects a lifetime of service, leadership, and unwavering commitment to our community. From his years as a volunteer firefighter to his continued dedication through civic leadership, Mayor Bustamante has consistently shown what it means to serve with heart, humility, and purpose.
We are honored to share the nomination letter written and submitted by City Manager Courtney Sladek:
"Some leaders step into service because of a title. Others serve because it is simply who they are.
This year’s nominee is someone whose impact has been felt for decades, often quietly, often behind the scenes, and almost always without seeking recognition. Age and experience are hallmarks of this individual’s journey, but what stands out most is a lifetime of consistent presence and commitment to community.
Long before holding any public office, this person dedicated years to protecting the community as a volunteer firefighter, answering calls, supporting neighbors, and stepping forward when it mattered most. Even in retirement, that connection to service never ended.
That commitment to public safety continues through service as a board member of the 100 Club of Wharton County, supporting local law enforcement and their families.
Service for this nominee has never been limited to one role or one organization. Time has been given freely to civic efforts and fundraisers year after year. Fish fries, community meals, and benefit events have become familiar spaces where this person can be found working, cooking, organizing, and supporting. Meals have been donated. Time has been donated. Resources have been donated. Through those efforts, thousands of dollars have been raised to support local programs, youth organizations, and families facing hardship.
When medical challenges arise in the community, this individual is often among the first to step in, helping organize support and using cooking, connections, and personal generosity to help lift the burden for others.
This nominee has also supported educational opportunities and community initiatives through involvement in the Coastal Bend Oilman's Fishing Tournament and the Hispanic Education Program, contributing time and support to efforts that help provide scholarships and strengthen opportunities for students and families.
There has also been a long-standing presence in the regional cook-off community, where this individual earned success and respect, not only for skill but for using those moments to bring people together and support causes that matter.
Service extends into civic leadership and representation as well, including roles that have helped shape initiatives, support projects, and contribute to lasting improvements across the El Campo trade area and West Wharton County.
There is also a deeply personal side to this story.
At the center of everything is family, a nearly forty-year marriage built on partnership and commitment, children and sons-in-law who remain close, and four grandchildren, two girls and two boys, who are a constant source of pride and motivation. Every act of service, every fundraiser, every late night helping someone in need is rooted in the belief that the community should be stronger for the next generation.
There is also an important milestone in this nominee’s story. This individual helped break barriers and represent progress for the community, becoming a symbol of leadership, inclusion, and opportunity for many who saw themselves reflected in that moment.
The impact of this nominee cannot be measured in one project, one role, or one year. It is measured in decades of showing up. In fires answered. In meals cooked. In dollars raised. In scholarships supported. In families helped. In organizations strengthened. In a community made better, year after year.
This is what Citizen of the Year looks like. Not a moment, but a lifetime.
It is my honor to nominate, for Citizen of the Year, Mayor Eugene Bustamante. "
Congratulations, Mayor Bustamante, on this well-deserved recognition! Your leadership and lifelong service continue to make El Campo a stronger, more connected community. 👏
