I have always said there are two places I would live: Napa (my hometown) or Truckee (my second hometown). In May of 2022 a job announcement for the president and CEO of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce came across my desk and I jumped at it.

My family has had a home in Tahoe Donner since the late 1990s. I grew up spending my summers attending Tahoe Donner Summer Camps and winters skiing at Sugar Bowl on the weekends. I could not pass up the opportunity to be part of such a special place. I started my tenure on Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, and have been blown away by the welcome I have received from the Truckee Community. 

So what is a Chamber of Commerce anyway? And how does someone get to be the President/CEO of one? No one goes to college thinking they will one day run a chamber. I went to college to study archaeology and I have a Master’s Degree in Egyptian archaeology. I started my chamber journey in 2017 when I was hired at the Yountville Chamber of Commerce in Napa County. I quickly fell in love with the work.

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I love that my job is to make our community better and to ensure that it can thrive through any obstacle. I was drawn to the clear connection that success for our businesses means success for our community. Over the last eight months, I have enjoyed learning what it takes to make our Truckee community successful. While I know I still have a lot to learn, I have felt so embraced by this community that I cannot wait to get up each day and work toward making Truckee the best it can be.

The Truckee Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1912 and has been a long-standing presence in our community. One of the first things I was tasked with when I started with the chamber was to pass our first-ever strategic plan. Our strategic plan sets forth a roadmap that addresses the diverse needs of our business community while embracing the essence of Truckee. From our strategic plan, we have adopted three new strategic pillars: Advocate for Business, Bolster Economic Prosperity, and Cultivate Community Connection. 

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Advocate for Business 

The Truckee Chamber is the Voice of Business for our community. We are working to be the go-to source for data and information related to the business climate of Truckee and Eastern Nevada County. The Truckee Chamber will be creating a Government Action Committee to help guide our advocacy efforts. 

Bolster Economic Prosperity 

The Truckee Chamber is working to ensure a strong, vibrant economy by cultivating and promoting healthy business growth. We will also be starting an Economic Development Committee to work on our workforce and economic development efforts. 

Cultivate Community Connection 

Truckee is only as strong as our community. The Truckee Chamber engages, connects, and promotes the Truckee community to both residents and visitors through our extensive programming.

As the new CEO of the Truckee Chamber of Commerce, I am honored to help lead this remarkable community into a future of growth and prosperity. With our new strategic plan as our guide, we will foster collaboration, empower local businesses, and preserve the essence of Truckee.

Jessica Penman is president and CEO for the Truckee Chamber of Commerce.