President & CEO, Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce Bruce R. Partain
By Lisa TruesdaleQ: Why did you move to Longmont and what do you like most about living here?
A: We moved here from Texas just three months ago. Linda and I have visited the area for years, as both of our sons have lived here at one time or another. When the opportunity came up to continue my Chamber career in a great town—and be closer to family—I was excited about the possibilities.
Q: What are you most excited about in your new position, and what specific goals do you have so far?
A: I’ve enjoyed being a Chamber professional for over two decades. It is wonderful to work with businesses, community leaders and partners in making a good city even better. Our current chair, Carol Schack, has been a great leader in identifying four pillars for the Chamber: Advocacy, Leadership, Education and Membership. Incoming chair Kyle Snyder will be focusing on our motto of “The Voice of Business.” So you’ll see our Chamber take an active role in suggesting and working toward projects that create an environment where business can succeed. We want to be problem solvers for our members, and one of those areas is regarding technology that benefits our business members. We’ll be making an announcement soon about how we’ll be the first Chamber in Colorado to offer a unique electronic benefit. Stay tuned for that.
Q: What do you think the biggest challenges of your new job might be?
A: I believe that all of us with somewhat open-ended assignments are challenged to focus on a few achievable goals. Right now, I’m open to all conversations and ideas. But in the coming months I will work with Chamber volunteers and leadership to be sure we accomplish specific goals that achieve measurable results for our community.
Q: What did you want to be when you grew up?
A: Well, no kid dreams of being a Chamber executive, but some of us are lucky enough to get to do it. When I was 6, though, I was sure I would be an astronaut. Later, it was a news photographer or a geologist. I guess the “photographer” part came true; there’s a lot of photography done in our family, and I’m usually the one behind the camera (or smartphone) as we get outside on our bikes, or on foot, to enjoy this great state.
