The Orcas Chamber Board is pleased to introduce Carey Eskridge as its new Executive Director, taking the place of the retiring Lance Evans. Also, new this year, Pete Moe takes over as board president.
Members, lapsed members and curious non-members are invited to a meet-and-greet at Island Hoppin’ Brewery, Tuesday, March 28 from 4 to 6 p.m. to say hello to Eskridge and Moe and the other board members.
“Obviously I have some huge shoes to fill when it comes to taking over for Lance,” says Eskridge, a native of Austin, Texas. “But I am super excited to learn about this business community, support it, and have fun at the same time.”
Eskridge, his wife Christina and their 11-year-old daughter Lola relocated to Orcas full-time last year from Austin, where Eskridge was the Deputy Director of Research for the Texas Legislative Council, a nonpartisan support agency for the Texas Legislature. Christina is the vice president of product and experience design for Evernorth, a subsidiary of Cigna Health.
Moe, who directs Orcas Recycling Services and The Exchange, took over the Board President seat from Colleen Smith, publisher of The Islands’ Sounder, in January.
“I can’t say enough about the leadership that Lance and Colleen have provided,” says Moe. “In Carey, I think we have found a really amazing blend of energy and experience that will move their work forward while bringing a fresh perspective to the position.”
Since taking over in January, Eskridge and Leah Johnson, the Chamber’s Member Services Manager, have refreshed the office and visitor information center on North Beach Road, updated the chamber’s technology and media presence, begun preparing for the year’s sponsored events and evaluated the chamber’s membership rolls.
Among the chamber’s 2023 efforts are a spring membership renewal drive, publication of the visitor’s map and guide, 4th of July week programming, a Christmas market and holiday retail promotions, business leadership workshops and member networking events, including the Chamber Annual Meeting. The chamber has also taken on a management role with the “Hops On The Rock” beer festival.
“The economic impact of the pandemic was especially challenging for the islands and Orcas in particular,” says Eskridge. “But we can build on the resilience the community has demonstrated these last few years and get things back up to speed in no time. Folks are going to see a membership drive happen right away, and a focus on making the core chamber programs as good as they can be. And most of all, we’re going to have fun with it.”
Added Moe: “We are really interested in talking directly to members and getting their input on what they would like to see the chamber doing as we go forward. Carey has already started meeting one-on-one with business owners, and we hope to chat more next week!”
