The Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce introduced Kevin Carns as its new executive director just over a month after the resignation of former executive director Cynthia Mudge.
Coralee Taylor, co-owner of The Chronicle and Chamber Chair, made the official announcement on Thursday during a speedy lunchtime event at Dick’s Brewing in Centralia with Carns at her side.
In his first time speaking as the incoming executive director of the local chamber, Carns thanked the chamber members for their support, shared his excitement to strengthen the chamber and advocate for its members.
“My job is going to be to listen and figure out what our value proposition is for the current membership and how we grow in the future,” Carns said. “I think we have immense economic opportunity here with our geographic location, but there's also challenges that come along with that. So I look forward to coming and sitting down with everybody.”
According to Carns, he will take on some of the responsibilities of the job immediately, meeting with chamber members and staff as part of a “slow roll in” transition. Carns commented that he has ongoing responsibilities at his current job as founder and political consultant with Prometheus Digital.
He said he is already “on the ground” working with the chamber executive board, but expects to be fully transitioned into the new role around Dec. 1 after the November general election.
“I am committed because I have consulting clients all over the country, and I told the board when I interviewed that ‘you would not want me if I walked away from commitments,’” Carns said.
Carns also immediately addressed any potential conflicts of interest as he intends to retain his seat on the Chehalis City Council while taking on the new role. After speaking with Chehalis City Manager Stacy Denham and the city’s attorney, they found that he would, for a start, need to step down from his role as chair of the city’s lodging tax advisory committee (LTAC).
That committee is responsible for awarding grant funding using a local tax collected on hotel and motel stays. Only certain groups are eligible for the funding and regularly apply. Categories include nonprofits, tourism marketing businesses, and visitor centers, to name a few. The chamber is among groups in the area that regularly apply for those grant funds, which would pose a conflict of interest for Carns.
Carns was accepting of the need to avoid any conflict of interest and added that he believes his political experience will otherwise be useful in the role.
“I just think so much of what the government does impacts business,” Carns said. “Being able to be an advocate is something I love, and I'm a firm believer that a strong economy can cure almost every social ill.”
Good Health Nutrition Center owner and Chamber Executive Board Treasurer Julie Shaffley said she and the chamber board are excited to welcome Carns as the new director and are looking forward to the chamber’s “next chapter.”
“We’re very excited to have Kevin on board,” Shaffley said. “He’s got great ideas to work with the community and the board to energize the chamber and to work with all the other community organizations for the betterment of the community.”
