Debbie moves on after summer….

Debbie before the race - she has kept the Chamber running for a decade.

I just heard that after nearly ten years on the job, The Chamber’s Debbie Pigman is moving on this fall.

In the mid-1990s, there was no paid staff at the Chamber, so the Board members did everything. In 2000, the Chamber of Commerce hired the first person (it was a part time job) to stay for more than a year, and she’s made a huge difference in helping the Chamber grow in both effectiveness & influence. If you ask me, it’s sad to see her go – she’s gonna be nearly impossible to replace. She’s always so involved (that’s her before the half marathon back in ’05 – she did the walk in a very respectable time) – it’s hard to see her leave. I’m gonna miss her.

Here’s the press release from the Chamber:

Debbie Pigman, Executive Director of the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce, has announced that she will be leaving her position with the chamber effective mid-September.

Pigman was hired as the Chamber’s first Executive Director in 2000. She began the job as a part time employee working 20 hours per week, with 168 chamber members and a budget of approximately $28,000.  She leaves a full time position with 350 members and a $150,000 budget.

When asked what she was most proud of, Pigman replied, “Communication… the role the chamber has played in opening lines of communication, especially between the Town of Friday Harbor and the business community. And, our various programs have facilitated better communication among business owners, cultivating a climate of collaboration and support rather than competition.”

“Working for the Chamber has certainly been a rewarding experience that challenged me to grow as a professional as well as an individual.”

Pigman plans to take a step back to a little less demanding life style, spend more time with her husband and family and focus more on her creative interests.

Chamber Board of Directors President, Joy Sevier, will work with a small task force to develop the replacement process for Pigman’s position.

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