2024 Member Award Recipients
Jose G. Vargas
Apple Pharmacy
Business Leader of the Year:
Jose G. Vargas is the Vice President of Apple Pharmacy and the owner of 30 retail pharmacy locations stretching from Angleton, Texas, to the Rio Grande Valley. He also owns several adult day care centers and home health agencies, managing 45 companies across Central and South Texas. In addition to his business achievements, Jose is an ordained Catholic Deacon serving the Diocese of Brownsville in multiple capacities, including as the Assistant Director of Formation for Permanent Deacons and Chaplain at Rio Grande Regional Hospital.
A graduate of St. Thomas University and a Board board-certified pedorthist, Jose combines his expertise in healthcare with his deep commitment to his faith. His life’s mission is to serve others, from the 568 employees he leads to the thousands of patients cared for by his businesses each year. Service is his passion and calling, a gift he believes is divinely bestowed.
His community involvement is equally extensive: He is the immediate past chair of the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as Vice President of the Board of the Mission Economic Development Corporation and the Mission Economic Development Authority.
Ric Brown Family Funeral Home
701 E Expressway 83
Mission, TX 78572
621 E Griffin Parkway
Mission, TX 78574
Business of the Year:
Since December 1999, Ric Brown Family Funeral Home has been a cornerstone of the Mission community, providing compassionate service and consistently giving back. In its first year, the funeral home served 68 families, and today, it supports nearly 800 families annually. Over time, the business has grown to three locations, with two based in Mission, all while maintaining its strong community ties.
The family's dedication has earned them numerous accolades. Founder Ric Brown was honored with the Eagle Excellence Award, his wife Kathy was named Woman of the Year, and their son Tim received the Man of the Year Award. While Ric passed away in 2012 and Kathy retired in 2020, their legacy continues. Today, Tim and his wife Barbara manage day-to-day operations, with two of their daughters also working in the business, ensuring the next generation of Browns is ready to serve the community.
Deeply involved in civic activities, the Browns and their staff actively contribute to organizations like the Greater Mission Chamber of Commerce, the Mission Ambulance Advisory Board, TDM Ministries, the Vanguard Academy School Board and their suicide awareness group ISGOD. Tim also serves on the Texas Funeral Service Commission by appointment of Governor Greg Abbott.
As a family-owned business, Ric Brown Family Funeral Home understands the value of giving back to the community that has given so much to them.
Yaqui Animal Rescue
500 Venecia Dr, Sullivan City, TX 78595
(956) 600-4212
Community Impact of the Year:
Founded in Sullivan City, Texas, by Sonia Venecia, Yaqui Animal Rescue is a testament to her lifelong passion for animal welfare and her deep connection to her heritage. The name "Yaqui" was chosen to honor Sonia's grandmother and their ancestors, the indigenous Yaqui Indians from Sonora, Mexico.
As a child, Sonia spent countless weekends and summers on the land that would later become Yaqui Animal Rescue. Once owned by her grandparents, the property was sold as the years passed, but Sonia never forgot the connection she had to the ranch or the animals in the area.
About twenty years ago, Sonia began her journey of caring for South Texas’ stray animals, providing essential vet care, food, and finding forever homes for cats and dogs in need. As the number of animals needing help continued to grow, Sonia recognized the need for a more structured rescue effort.
In 2004, when the ranch became available once more, Sonia purchased it with a new purpose: to establish a safe haven for unwanted animals in the area. In 2013, Yaqui Animal Rescue officially became a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit and no-kill rescue.
Since then, Sonia and her dedicated rescue team have worked tirelessly to save thousands of animals. Their mission remains the same—to rescue animals that have been lost, abandoned, neglected, or mistreated and to provide them with the opportunity to find a loving family.
With the continued support of the community, Yaqui Animal Rescue strives to make a lasting difference, one animal at a time.