El Dorado Inc. held a party and many people came.

Celebrating the organization’s 20th year of working toward the city’s financial development, a luncheon marked the occasion yesterday at the Civic Center.

Steve Funk, who has been a part of El Dorado Inc. since its inception, told the gathered crowd he wanted to recognize three individuals he considered “instrumental” in the formation of the group.

“Every new, fledgling group needs a dynamic leader – El Dorado Inc. was no exception when we started,” Funk said. “By acclimation, Ramon Criss was elected president. He did such a good job, the next year we elected him for a second term.

“To this point in time, Ramon is the only two-year president of El Dorado Inc. Ramon, thank you for your inspiration and leadership.”

Funk said former mayor Ed Blake and past city manager Stan Stewart had both been invited to the event, but could not make it.

“The mayor and Stan had a unique relationship,” Funk said. “Ed Blake epitomized the public/private partnership. He didn’t coin the phrase, but he made it famous in El Dorado.

“Stan Stewart was our guiding force for the first 15 years El Dorado Inc. existed. We did not have an executive director.”

In addition to Funk, three other men have been with El Dorado Inc. since its start: Cliff Stone, Tom Murry and Albert Hogoboom. Stone spoke to the attendees about his thoughts on the organization and expressed the importance of “looking ahead.”

“It was so rewarding to try to work toward the good things that have happened,” Stone said.

Murry also chimed in on the last 20 years.

“It seems like just the other day, I was getting started on this project,” Murry said. “I can’t believe I’m supposed to be an old-timer reminiscing.”

Murry said Stone is “the core of our economic success over the last 20-something years” and is a perfect example of cooperative spirit.

“If not for Cliff Stone in particular, this community would not be near as well-off as it is today,” Murry said. “We owe him a deep, deep sense of gratitude.”

Murry shared a brief history of the origins of El Dorado Inc., explaining the events that took place prior to the formation and the early days of what it was like to be part of the group.

“From my standpoint, it’s mostly been fun, sometimes challenging,” he said. “We’re on the right track. I like the leadership.”

After sharing his own recollections of the last 20 years, Funk delivered the El Dorado Inc. financial report.

“I am pleased to say that El Dorado Inc. is in the best financial position that it has ever been,” Funk said.

The organization has $563,000 in the bank, outstanding loans to various partners in excess of $43,000 with assets totaling – as of Dec. 31 – $607, 365.

Jim Stump, 2008 El Dorado Inc. president, talked about the organization’s plans for the coming year, which include continuing to work with BG Products as they expand in El Dorado, recruiting more businesses and attracting residents to the area.

“There’s a lot of synergy with Holiday Inn and BG and a lot of new prospects that are going to come out of the blue for us,” Stump said. “We need to facilitate new housing and revitalization plans for the city.

“Most importantly, we need to look at the public in general. We need to really understand what their needs are because half of our mission statement is to improve the quality of life in El Dorado. I think we need to make sure we’re all in the same boat and the same direction.”