By Jo Mixon
January 2014 has proven to be an exciting month at the Chamber. As you know, I spent the first week in Tucson, Arizona attending the US Chamber Institute for Organizational Management. We are now in the process of implementing a lot of what I learned and making changes appropriately. We have become accustomed to change over the past few years. Together, with the Board of Director’s, the Chamber has set a forward motion to continue heading in a positive direction. We are committed to stay on this pathway!
Most of this month has been filled with legislation issues. On January 14 nineteen New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, including the Angel Fire Chamber, co-hosted a luncheon, held in Albuquerque for the Governor. It was attended by over 700 people.
Next, Governor Suzanna Martinez declared January 22, 2014 to be Enchanted Circle Day at the Legislation. Angel Fire was honored to be on the agenda. Mayor Cottam spoke in the Rotunda of the Roundhouse in Santa Fe along with the Mayors of Eagle Nest, Red River, Questa, and Taos. We set up an Angel Fire booth for this event and gave a list of our concerns to the Legislation.
On January 27, we again went to Santa Fe to represent Angel Fire. This time at the Annual Chamber of Commerce Legislative Reception. The Village of Angel Fire, The Angel Fire Resort and the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce shared booths. These three entities working together made a powerful presence for Angel Fire! The evening was a huge success with more than half of the State Legislatures present. And we gifted them with Angel Fire information, Visitors Guide, and Shop Angel Fire bags!
Representing Angel Fire on January 27, 2014 in Santa Fe at the Annual Chamber of Commerce Legislative Reception are left to right: Angel Fire Village Manager, Jay Mitchell; Angel Fire Mayor Pro Tem, Chuck Howe; Angel Fire Mayor, Barbara Cottam; Grant Administrator/Sales and Marketing for the Village of Angel Fire, Tracie Orr; Director of Marketing and Business Development for the Angel Fire Resort, Dan Swanson; Executive Director of the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce, Jo Mixon; and Ambassador Team Leader/Volunteer Extraordinaire of the Angel Fire Chamber of Commerce, Johnese Turri.
Then on January 28, we headed in different directions to attend the meetings. Some of which were the New Mexico Chamber Executives Association, Ski New Mexico, and the Tourism Association of New Mexico’s Annual Meeting where Mayor Cottam was seated on the Board of Directors and is Chairing the Education Committee. During this Legislation, Angel Fire has been well represented and we hope our voices have been heard. At the least, know that we are all committed to growing and working together to help make Angel Fire the best it can be!
Back home in the office, we have another great addition to our staff. I’d like to introduce you to Debbie Espie.
She has joined our team as an overly qualified bookkeeper/Office Assistant. As the CFO/Owner of a highly successful family
business for more than eighteen years, we are excited to gain her expertise in the chamber office. She holds a BSc in Zooloy-Miami University/Oxford Ohio and an MSc Limnology-University of Guelph/Ontario Canada. Debbie moved to Angel Fire with her husband and two children last June. She has already become active in Garden Club, Habla Tamale Committees and various other community functions. And we are very happy she has joined our staff!
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