Our people: Royal flush

Ernie Kos said she loves her job as the executive director of the Clovis and Curry County Chamber of Commerce. Her days are never the same and keep her busy.

What is your most prized possession? My most prized possessions are Ron, Ryan, Jason, Christen, Jayden and Bretni Kos.

Tell us how you met your spouse. I met Ron when we were in elementary school at Sacred Heart School. We went to junior high and high school together. He graduated a year before I did and went to the Marines for three years. When he got out of the Marines, he joined me at Eastern New Mexico University and the rest is history. We started dating at ENMU in 1975. I knew way back when he was going to be the one I would marry. I knew before he did. I just knew.

What is your theme song? My theme song is “Brown-Eyed Girl” and I am really good at the “La la la la” part.

What would you like printed on your gravestone? She never postponed fun or her party dress was always ready.

What’s so great about your favorite sport? If poker is a sport, then I would say that Texas Hold’em is my favorite. Believe it or not, you can learn a lot about life by playing poker and enjoying the company of others at the table.

Who’s invited to your fantasy dinner party? My fantasy dinner party would not be too far off from my real life dinners — just maybe a change of scenery, like at sunset in Kauai — but still with the friends I socialize with now. Of course, if George Strait wanted to join us, I would welcome him.

What do you think about Clovis? The people of Clovis are our greatest asset because of their warmth and hospitality and just how people are so welcoming here. Both my parents are from Hawaii and I’ve learned that paradise is wherever you are as long as you have a good attitude.

Who is your favorite entertainer? I have a lot of favorite entertainers but right now, I would say that I am a huge Carrie Underwood fan.

When you were a kid, what did you think you’d be doing as an adult? I am doing pretty much what I thought I would be doing...finding something that I am passionate about, selling it to others and celebrating our successes.

Tell us about a time you cried. I cried when my dad died. My dad, Ernie Ponce, died in 1998.

What do you envision your life being like in 10 years? I don’t envision my life being much different than it is now, full of life, friends and family. Hopefully, in 10 years, I will have more time to just enjoy the beautiful sunrises and sunsets.

Tell us about your pets. Generally, we have not been pet people over the years when our kids were growing up. But recently we got two dogs of our own. We had Ziggy and a stray fell in love with her and we got 11 puppies. We gave away most of them but kept one. They’ve brought a lot of joy into our lives.

Tell us about your greatest individual accomplishment. My greatest individual accomplishments are the relationships that I have made with my friends over the years, both personally and professionally.

What is your favorite smell? My favorite smell is the fragrance of all the tropical flowers of Hawaii, especially the gardenias.

What’s your idea of a perfect day? A perfect day for me is when I am surrounded by people that I love.

Tell us about a happy time. My most recent happy time was on June 19, 2010 when my son Jason married Bretni Johnson at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. It was an incredible feeling when we realized we had a whole new bigger family. It’s amazing what happens when two people fall in love.