Schuhmacher is new Elkader chamber coordinator

By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register

Earlier this month, there was a changing of the guard at the Elkader Area Chamber of Commerce. Ann Gibney, who spent the last five years as chamber coordinator, promoting the community, attracting businesses and leading the organization through challenges like the pandemic, bridge closure and even a minor flood, decided to step down. She stated “the time has come,” and she was “ready for the next stage in my life.”

With Gibney’s departure, the chamber loses someone who chamber president Amanda Schneider called “an incredible asset.” 

Gibney’s “knowledge of the people and businesses in the Elkader area have been valuable for us to create good working relationships with our current members, but also to attract new members to the organization,” she added.

Now, the Elkader Area Chamber of Commerce is under new leadership, and the organization didn’t have to look far. New coordinator Joelle Schuhmacher is thoroughly familiar with Elkader, having worked at RISE, Ltd. from 2015 to 2020 and as owner of Emerald Grove Boutique, which she opened in May 2021. Schuhmacher is also a dedicated member of the chamber, becoming a board member in January 2022 and serving as secretary since.

Schneider believes the chamber has found a good fit for the position, citing Schuhmacher’s involvement with the organization, which comes with experience and insight on the “internal side of the organization,” while also providing a “clear picture” for the chamber’s mission to promote every business in the community.

As a business owner, Schuhmacher is “well integrated in what our chamber membership is seeing, thinking and feeling in our local economy,” Schneider said. “[She] sits on the same side of the table as our members, which will allow for a productive relationship.”

Schuhmacher, who took over the position on June 3, said her involvement with the chamber stemmed from wanting to “get involved in the community,” as well as with other business owners. When the position opened, her decision to apply rested on an overall enjoyment of the work she’s already done.

“I decided to apply for the position because I really enjoy the work the chamber does and feel that it’s important to the success of Elkader businesses,” Schuhmacher said.

She believes she is a good fit for the role due to her experience on the board and as a business owner, but also in her familiarity with what the chamber does in terms of events, like Sip, Sample, Shop, business trick-or-treating and the business Easter basket hunt, which she has assisted in planning and implementing.

As coordinator, Schuhmacher will have a longer list of responsibilities, while also advocating for business owners. Among those duties are maintaining and building relationships with business owners, preparing monthly meeting agendas, recruiting chamber members and working with committees to fund, implement and promote special events.

“It is important for business owners to have somewhere to turn when they have questions or need advice. The coordinator works hard to promote these businesses and encourage people to visit Elkader,” Schuhmacher said.

In achieving the goal of promotion and attracting visitors, she will rely on sharing content on social media, notably the chamber’s Facebook page, which she stated “helps get their name or event out to more people.” 

Schuhmacher will encourage visitors by creating content during events, sharing and posting it in an effort to “showcase the great time” people have, while also highlighting what the community has to offer.

“We’re working on some material for commercials and promotion of our businesses and community as a whole that will focus on what our town has to offer in regards to recreation, shopping, dining and staying,” Schuhmacher said.

Coupled with that promotion and maintaining the notion that Elkader is a “popular tourist destination,” is attracting new businesses for visitors to shop, dine or stay at. As Schuhmacher sees it, Elkader has “a lot to offer. Many new business owners would love to get a spot in town.”

Getting them here is on the list of goals she will try to achieve by spreading the word about commercial listings and rentals available in town.

“New businesses coming to our community is a positive for existing businesses. The more we have to offer, the more visitors we will see,” Schuhmacher said.

Another goal revolves around the numerous events the chamber hosts, which Schuhmacher wants to build on. This includes looking at events that may not have as much participation or attendance compared to others and working with the board, events committee and business owners to find what can be done to make them better, as well as looking into changing the date, time or overall layout of the event. 

A final goal of the chamber, in general, is broadening its membership, something also noted by Schneider. This can be done by focusing on the benefits of chamber membership, which requires paying membership dues. Those dues, along with fundraising efforts, are an essential and vital part of everything the chamber does. They are used for marketing and promotion, which, for Schuhmacher, is “crucial for bringing individuals to our community and drawing visitors to town.” 

As a business owner, she as witnessed the “benefits of investing in a chamber membership.”

“It’s important to let businesses know how the chamber benefits them and what their membership dues are being used for and how it will positively affect them,” she said.

In taking over the role, Schuhmacher understood there would be some learning. Though she will lean on her experience, she also knows there will be help along the way from other chamber board members and Gibney, who “graciously offered to help” while Schuhmacher settles in as the new coordinator.

“Ann was remarkable in the role of chamber coordinator. I aim to keep things going as she did, with my own twist,” Schuhmacher said.