New Director Selected for Starke County Chamber of Commerce

After a few months of searching for the perfect fit, a new executive director has been selected for the Starke County Chamber of Commerce.

Chamber President Jerry Gurrado reported they were fortunate that there was great interest in the position.

After multiple rounds of interviews, Gurrado said a number of candidates were on the brink but the committee felt that Brenda Palmer checked all their boxes.

President Gurrado added that Chamber officials are excited to have Brenda hit the ground running and extend the quality of previous Directors.

Her predecessor, Jessica Craig, sat on the Chamber Board of Directors for three years and served as the executive director for two. She stepped down from her position as director in April of this year and now works as the Center at Donaldson Marketing Director.

Chamber Executive Director Brenda Palmer

Palmer comes to the Chamber with a variety in her background and is described as uniquely qualified. She said she used work as a trucking manager and had extensive experience working with agencies such as the DOT and OSHA.

Palmer said while she doesn’t have past experience with the Starke County Chamber of Commerce, she’s looking forward to getting out in the community to help familiarize residents with everything the organization does.

She added that she wants to make people more aware that the Depot, the Chamber’s headquarters, has a lot to offer, including materials with various things to do in the area, resources for a variety of reputable businesses as well as a lot of local history.

Palmer’s responsibilities will include various duties at the Chamber office and working with tourism as well as bouncing throughout the county to serve current membership and secure new ones. She will also be manning the Chamber Wheel at the 4-H Fair next week. Feel free to stop by and say hi.