The new executive director of the Kent Chamber of Commerce is no stranger to the Northwest \u2014 the deep Northwest.<\/p>\n
Andrea Keikkala, 27, started in the position just this month, coming to Kent from Alaska, the state where she spent much of her life. She previously worked as executive director of the Sitka Chamber of Commerce in the 49th state, and she said the Kent position sounded like a perfect step up. The position has been vacant since Feb. 22, when previous chamber leader Marcelle Wellington abruptly resigned.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout six months ago, I started looking for a job running a bigger chamber,\u201d Keikkala said. \u201cI needed to branch out a bit. I thought I\u2019d be comfortable here, and I have family in the area.\u201d<\/p>\n
Born in Seattle, she moved to Juneau, Alaska, with her family when she was 3. The family planned to live there temporarily while Keikkala\u2019s father completed a construction job, she said, but they fell in love with the area.<\/p>\n
After receiving her associate\u2019s degree from the University of Alaska, she came back to Washington to continue her education at Gonzaga University. There, she earned a bachelor\u2019s degree in political science and a master\u2019s degree in religious studies.<\/p>\n
Keikkala returned to Alaska to work as an aid for state Sen. Bert Stedman, later moving into a paralegal position at a Juneau law firm. She took the job at the Sitka Chamber in 2006, and she said it was during her two years there that she developed a passion for her current career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just fell in love with that kind of work \u2014 just the community involvement and the politics, the events, the membership involvement \u2013 everything about running a chamber,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
When she came to Kent for an interview with the Kent Chamber Board of Directors, she said she knew she could continue her passion here.<\/p>\n
\u201cI came down and met the board, and they were absolutely wonderful,\u201d Keikkala said. \u201cThey were everything I would have wanted in people that would guide me in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mark Albertson, board president, said the feeling was mutual.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere were a lot of reasons we hired her,\u201d he said. \u201cFirst, she had chamber experience. She had a great track record there, too. She really turned the chamber around up there, and that was impressive to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
He explained that Keikkala increased membership at the Sitka Chamber by 25 percent during her time there.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s also a very articulate speaker, and that\u2019s important because she\u2019s really the voice of the chamber in the community,\u201d Albertson said. \u201cAnd frankly, I admired her energy and enthusiasm.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said though she just started in the position, he\u2019s already seeing good things.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited by what\u2019s happening,\u201d he said. \u201cShe jumped right in, really took charge. She\u2019s already got great ideas for making changes at the chamber.\u201d<\/p>\n
Keikkala agreed the job is going well so far.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going great,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are some challenges, but I\u2019m optimistic that we will build the chamber membership and be a thriving organization.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said Kent is a good fit, too, and the avid hiker, fisher and camper is enjoying exploring the outdoor opportunities of this part of the Northwest. Keikkala said she\u2019s also impressed with the city itself, its diverse set of businesses and its friendly citizens.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just easy to navigate, and the people are very friendly,\u201d she said. \u201c(The businesses are) a great mixture of historical downtown shops and new places like the ones at Kent Station. It seems like I have everything at my fingertips, which is a big difference from Alaska. I\u2019m very happy to be here, and I\u2019m looking forward to working with the people in the community.\u201d<\/p>\n
For more information about the Kent Chamber of Commerce, call 253-854-1770, e-mail info@kentchamber.com or visit www.kentchamber.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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