Chamber director looks forward to 2019

Morning mixers to begin next year, Brashear says

Reciting her favorite motto of not going where the path leads but instead going where there is no path and leaving a trail, Chino Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lorette Brashear said there’s a lot to look forward to in 2019.

“That’s where I’m headed towards for 2019 is really developing things that are new to our community and new to the Chamber community,” Brashear said. “We have a lot in the works for next year already.”

Since she assumed the position of executive director in May, Brashear said, she has tried to be active in the community. Membership has grown immensely since then and she has plenty of ideas for next year, she said.

Alongside some tried and true programs, such as the Friday, Feb. 1, Chino Valley Job Fair at Chino Valley High School, 760 E. Center St.; Wine, Bites & Brew at Earthworks Garden Supply, 2531 Highway 89, in April; and the 11th annual Bob Kaecker Golf Tournament in June, the Chamber is planning on new events and programs, she said.

One is a quarterly morning mixer called Raise the Roost, Brashear said.

Having come from a Chamber that had a successful morning mixer, Brashear said she wanted to give the community a chance to try them out and see if they like it.

“We do have a lot of early morning people that like to get up early,” she said. “Those morning people have kind of requested something like this. I just thought it might be a different way to get businesses talking and networking early in the morning.”

This year, Yavapai College celebrated its 50th anniversary, which included a harvest festival type of celebration at the Agribusiness & Science Technology Center. The college partnered with the Chamber of Commerce, and Brashear said she wanted to continue partnering with the college to turn it into an annual harvest festival event.

In the coming year, Brashear said her concentration is going to be on boosting Chamber membership while continuing to work with the town, calling to attention the partnership between the Chamber and town of Chino Valley for the successful December to Remember at Memory Park event. It will expand every year, she said.

At the same time, Brashear said she also has goals of bringing back the Chamber newsletter as well as revamping the Chamber website and directory.

“It’s a little outdated,” Brashear said.