West Richmond Businessmen's Association

WRBA: The Tradition Continues

Richmond is a city full of tradition. And WRBA is part of this city's tradition.

WRBA began informally in the mid 1930's by businessmen in and around a section of Richmond known as Scott's Addition. Although this area was only four miles from the downtown business district, Scott's Addition had no paved streets, curbs, gutters, street lights or traffic lights.

Informal meetings, led by Ben Morgan, a partner in Morgan Fuel Oil, were usually attended by six to ten men with business interests in this area. In 1937, they began calling themselves the West Richmond Businessmen's Association. By 1938, Scott's Addition had paved streets, curbs and gutters, and the following year brought improvements in the traffic light system at Boulevard & Broad.

During the Second World War, membership did not grow and remained at about 50. After the War, the focus of WRBA was a purely social one. It was an opportunity for Richmond businessmen to get together for fellowship, to eat a good meal and to listen to a speaker after dinner. The membership increased and the organization was incorporated in 1945. The Club began holding dinner meetings at the William Byrd Hotel on West Broad Street at a cost of $3.75 per person. In the early Fifties, annual dues were initiated at $30 which covered the cost of the regular dinner meetings. Special events were billed separately.

Today, WRBA has five regular dinner meetings throughout the year. In addition, it holds special events: a Prospective Member Reception and Texas Hold'Em Tournament in August, an Annual Boxing Smoker in November to benefit a local charity; Ladies Night in March; and an Annual Golf Tournament and Picnic, to benefit charity, in May. The member's annual dues cover all of the regular dinner meetings, Boxing Smoker and Golf Picnic. As Robert Holsten, Jr., a third generation past president, says, “WRBA is the only organization that I know of where you can enjoy a reception, eat a prime rib dinner, listen to an interesting speaker, enjoy the company of other Richmond business leaders...and all for an annual dues of only $325.”

Mr. Holsten, Jr. also maintains that the Club's signature event, the Boxing Smoker, alone is worth every penny of the dues. Collegiate boxers from such schools as VMI, the Naval Academy, Penn State, The Citadel and Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, come together for nine or ten bouts of three rounds each while spectators enjoy food, drink and a hand-rolled cigar. And a large portion of the proceeds are donated back to the community.

In an era where everyone's lives seem so hectic, and many organizations have moved evening meetings to luncheons or breakfast meetings, WRBA continues to have attendance at its dinners of over 160 members and guests. Proof that Richmonders like their traditions.

WRBA is now poised for a new phase in its long history. Under the direction of the Board, a strategic plan has been drawn to ensure the Club's continued success and growth. Part of this plan included establishing two charitable 501(c)(3) organizations - the Boxing Smoker and the Golf Tournament & Picnic. The shared vision of the Board is to use these non-profit organizations as a way to give back to our community.

Evidence that WRBA not only has a rich tradition...but a bright future as well.

Please consider this your invitation to join us Monday evenings and see if WRBA is right for you.

For more information on WRBA, contact Trace Carson, executive director, at 288-2950 or westrichond@catapult-inc.com .