Cummins' career, civic involvement on the move
BY SUZANNE LOUDAMY Staff writer

Doug Cummins

There is a smile that will be missed at the Whitehouse Brookshire's store. That's the smile of Doug Cummins.

Don't worry. Nothing bad has happened to him, he's just movin' on up. Up the Brookshire corporate ladder, that is. After 14 years of serving the customers of Whitehouse, Cummins is moving to the position of category manager at the Brookshire's corporate offices in Tyler.

Cummins began his career with the company 29 years ago, while still in high school.

"I started working at the Brookshire's store in Green Acres," Cummins said. "You know, just to put gas in the car. My manager asked if I had considered applying for the Brookshire's scholarship."

Not only did he apply, but he received that scholarship. He continued to work for the company and received his degree with Brookshire's helping along the way.

One of the most rewarding parts of his job as manager in the local store has been helping the young people of the community grow and develop a work ethic and responsibility.

"The store not only gives young people some great opportunities," Cummins said. "It's fortunate for the kids and our business."

Cummins is not just a busy businessman he is also quite involved at church and in the community.

Doug and his wife Amy teach Sunday school at Green Acres Baptist Church, where Doug has attended church since childhood. Cummins says it has been a real joy to have their home and their hearts filled with kids all the time.

Along with the youth Sunday school classes, Cummins works with the middle school choir and has traveled with them many times on the mission/choir tours. And of course, because they have a pool in the back yard, their house is always host to many after church and after school events.

Their daughter Lindsay, who just left for college, and sons Jonathan and Timothy are all Whitehouse band students.

Cummins said it's an absolute thrill to support the bands and watch them grow in talent each year. He and Amy have had the opportunity to travel with the band to Disney and to Washington D.C. Amy is the treasurer of the Whitehouse Band Boosters.

Another event Cummins said has been extremely special to him is a trip down the Buffalo River. It's a father/son, father/ daughter trip he first took with his daughter through the Bethel Bible Church.

"It was such a great experience," Cummins said. We borrowed the idea and took it to our church. It's become a tradition."

If you don't go to church with the Cummins family and you don't get down to the Brookshire's offices and you're really missing his smiling face, stop in at the Whitehouse City Council chambers when the Planning and Zoning Commission of Whitehouse is in session. Cummins has been a member for the past six years and has just been elected as the chairman of that commission.

The work they do involves land development regulations, overseeing the effectiveness of the comprehensive plan as well as zoning changes and ordinances.

Before his involvement with P&Z, Cummins was a 12-year member of the Chamber of Commerce.

"I still help out where I can," Cummins said. "But when I took on P&Z, I just didn't have time for both."

Cummins said he and the family aren't going anywhere. He said they love Whitehouse and look forward to many more years here.

"I will miss the day to day contact with the partners at the store that I've known for so many years," Cummins said, "as well as the customers I see on a regular basis."

Congratulations and good luck Doug!