An Effingham native is set to become the next president and CEO of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, and she is already developing a vision for the organization’s future.
Katie Koester will be taking over for the Chamber’s interim president and CEO, Jeff Fritchtnitch, who was appointed to the position following the departure of the previous president and CEO, Lucinda Hart, on May 31. Koester will officially become the president and CEO of the Chamber on Aug. 19.
In an interview Monday, Koester said being chosen for the position was “extremely humbling,” noting that she was pleasantly surprised that she was even considered for the role.
“It was very overwhelming on Friday when they officially announced it on social media and the radio and things like that, but I’m extremely honored,” she said.
Koester grew up in Effingham and returned to the area after graduating from Kentucky Christian University in 2010. She said she initially didn’t think she would stay in Effingham, but after getting involved with the Chamber and other local organizations, she began to realize how much the area had to offer.
“I love the Effingham community,” she said. “I was born and raised here.”
Koester first got involved with the Chamber about 13 years ago, working as its program coordinator from 2011-13.
“I did all of their events and marketing,” Koester said.
Over the years, Koester has become closely involved with several local organizations, including the Effingham Sunrise Rotary, Effingham Tourism Advisory Board, Effingham Unit 40 Education Foundation, 40Forward and 100+ Women Who Care of Effingham County. She also worked as the director of weddings and events at the Keller Convention Center from 2013-17.
For the past seven years, Koester has worked as an integrator at Firefly Grill in Effingham, and she said her role there is essentially that of a “team operations manager.” She believes that this role has helped prepare her for her new position with the Chamber, especially when it comes to managing multiple people.
“The Chamber’s office is a small office, but it reports to almost 600 members. So, I think that goes hand in hand with operating a restaurant as well,” Koester said. “We have 75 employees, but I’m dealing with thousands and thousands of diners every year. So, the operations side, I think, is really very similar.”
Additionally, Koester is already well versed in finance, in part, because of the time she spent with Firefly Grill, and this experience will also come in handy when she becomes the Chamber’s new president and CEO.
“I’ve learned a lot at Firefly,” Koester said. “So, I think that will all transfer over to this new position as well.”
Although she still has some time before she officially takes over as the Chamber’s president and CEO, Koester already has some goals regarding the future of the organization, including its engagement with the county’s youth.
“I feel like our junior high, high school and college kids in this community are our next generation of leaders, so I think being involved and getting them more involved in the Chamber kind of allows them to see what a great business community we have,” Koester said. “And hopefully, we’ll have them return to the area or stay in the area depending on what their goals or plans may be.”
Another goal for Koester is to get more residents involved with the Chamber by reaching out to those who aren’t familiar with it and teaching them about the work they do within the community.
“I don’t think a lot of people understand how vibrant and busy our Chamber is and what it exactly does, so I think through marketing efforts as well as communication, that could be something that will really allow the Chamber to thrive even more in the community,” Koester said.
Koester is also well aware that Effingham County has been experiencing a shortage of affordable workforce housing and affordable childcare. She said she will further explore both issues to see if there is anything the Chamber can do to help the county address them.
“I sell real estate as well on the side with RE/MAX Key Advantage, so I definitely see the need for housing, especial affordable housing in our community,” she said. “So, I think that’s definitely an initiative that I’d love to dive into and learn more about.”