From Nathan Knottingham, President/CEO

Thank you all for such a warm welcome to McMinnville. My wife, Billie, and I feel like we hit a homerun in accepting this position at the McMinnville Area Chamber of Commerce. You have a dynamic town and we are excited to have the opportunity to join this community.

My initial vision for the McMinnville Chamber is to focus on these three areas: Innovation, Education, and Communication.

Innovation by looking to the future and honestly evaluating: are we doing the things that will keep our chamber viable and relevant? Do we do things only because that’s the way we’ve always done them?

Education for our members that will bring value to the community. Are we raising up a new group of entrepreneurs, owners, leaders, managers, and skilled work force for all areas of this great community? Are we providing them with the knowledge and experiences they need to thrive and make wise decisions?

Communication. Because if we aren’t telling our story, then someone else is telling it. We need to talk about what we are doing, when we are doing it, why we are doing it, and what the outcomes of our decisions are. We also need to communicate in ways that are valuable to our members yet doesn’t create unwanted noise.

Here are some things I would like to focus on during this transition:

  • Be clear, open, and honest…always.
  • Take advantage of the relationships with other chamber leaders in the region.
  • Don’t make any sudden moves: We may all want “change,” but change looks different to everyone. I will enjoy being a part of this Chamber, building relationships, and earning trust of our members, community, and civic leadership; all the while taking notes of questions and ideas I have.
  • I’m going on a Listening Tour: community conversations, asking the same questions to get a spectrum of answers. Talking to our members, non-members, partners, and community. These conversations will help us prioritize our movement now and into the future.

And on that last point, I am asking for your help. My listening tour has started and I need more meetings!

Please let me know if you would like to meet and don’t worry about overwhelming my inbox or calendar.

Call the chamber at 503.472.6196 or email me at nknottingham@mcminnville.org.

I want to meet you at your place, see what you do, and get to know you.