Monett Chamber again sees leadership shuffle

The Monett Area Chamber of Commerce has undergone major leadership changes and set plans for the second half of 2026. 

At the April 8 meeting, Kelley McMillan took over as president. Trevor Convirs began as president-elect, and Ada Noriega became secretary/treasurer when Heather Van Note stepped aside to allow Brad Hill to finish out the third year of his term. The old board continued to serve jointly with the new board, which usually only takes place for one meeting, providing two active boards until the end of May. 

At the June 2 meeting, Kelley McMillan resigned as president and left the board. 

No announcement was made of McMillan’s departure at the time. Suzy McElmurry, serving temporarily as the executive director, was on vacation during that meeting and didn’t receive a full report on what transpired until after she returned. She took responsibility for not announcing the leadership shuffle. 

Convirs, who had one year of experience on the board, at that point stepped up to president’s position. He runs his own internet services business. 

Treanna Dougherty, who represents Arc of the Ozarks, was elected as an alternate in March. She was elected as the new vice president. Dougherty took the seat that had been held by Ada Noriega, who changed jobs and no longer represented a Chamber member, forcing her to withdraw from the board in favor of an alternate. 

Jake Saffer, elected to the board in March, was then elected as the new secretary/treasurer, coming out of a finance background as a representative from the Jack Henry company. 

The shuffle left the board lacking the traditional experience in key places that is designed to train each officer with the mechanics of how the Chamber operates. McElmurry noted a professional from the Missouri Chamber came to Monett and provided a half-day board orientation on the responsibilities and tasks that go with service on the board. 

Financial picture

McElmurry conceded the board is still adjusting to the present financial realities of operating without the license office as the key engine for funding Chamber events. She noted the Chamber will again bid to run the license office when bids open in 2027. In the meantime, the Chamber derives income from its memberships, currently topping 300, project sponsorships, event sales such as wristbands for the July 4 event, advertising, rentals of its meeting room, use of its cellphone tower in the Industrial Park, and donations to the Chamber Foundation. 

Several challenges lie ahead for the reorganized board. 

“What we’re working toward is staying true to the Monett Chamber mission statement and vision, to better our local businesses,” Convirs said. 

“We’re re-evaluating all of our areas of involvement, making sure those areas meet what the mission statement is,” McElmurry added. “We want to focus on membership, and how to enhance their business.” 

One of those strategies includes bringing back the Chamber membership directory, which is presently in production. It will include ads, essential information on businesses, employee numbers, and updated photos, but without descriptions of what the businesses do. The directory will likely be ready in September. 

McElmurry is reviving the “Made in Monett” program, promoting what products come from here. A new initiative is planned jointly with the Mt. Vernon, Aurora, and Cassville Chambers for a heavy media campaign on the theme “Be A Tourist in Your Own Backyard.” This effort will promote local sites for entertainment, sharing maps and event listings, largely through social media. 

Upcoming activities

As the Monett “Area” Chamber, the outreach to school districts as the school year starts will include breakfasts for new teachers, one each for Monett, Pierce City, and Purdy. An invitation will be sent to nearby parochial schools as well. The Monett breakfast will be at the district administrative office on Aug 14. The Purdy breakfast will be on Aug. 4 at the Purdy school campus. 

As for upcoming activities, the Chamber is working with the City of Monett to hold a remembrance on Sept. 11 for the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks at the Freedom Silo and the adjacent Freedom Park. 

The annual Chamber golf tournament has also been slated for Friday, Sept. 11, at the Windmill Ridge Golf Course. 

At the Chamber board’s July 8 meeting, Alejandra Rivera-Ortega, the Young Professionals Network president, described plans for a project at the Monett Speedway that will involve go-kart racing, bounce houses and a carnival for kids. She said the Young Professionals will be volunteering at the YMCA’s Back to School Bash and is helping plan a networking event called Meet the Mentors. 

The big fall activity will be launched by Monett Main Street, with help from the Chamber, called Smoke and Sound, on Sept. 19, replacing the Repurposed Faire. The event plans multiple activities, from the Downtown Pavilion to Broadway, including a barbecue competition. The Young Professionals Network will run the Kid Zone at that event. 

Chairpersons to be named

Committee chairpersons named to date include Josie Flummerfelt for the new teacher breakfasts, Brett Jones on the golf tournament, Kristi Chapman for Food Truck Fridays, Jake Saffer for the Sept. 11 remembrance, and marketing led by Convirs, Dougherty, and Chapman. That leaves chairmen still needed for the Monett Leadership program, the agriculture conferences, the Festival of Lights, and the Christmas Parade. 

McElmurry and staffer Esther Hightower are handling much of the interaction with members. 

“I’m doing other duties as assigned,” Dougherty said. “I want to give back to the members and build back trust as the community grows.” 

McElmurry said that attitude is shared by other board members. “There’s not been a board member who, when needed, hasn’t stepped up to do whatever needs to be done. We will fill the chair positions with the right person at the right time,” she said. 

The last big change coming to the Chamber will be naming a successor to McElmurry. Convirs said from the latest interviews, the board has seven candidates. He felt a successor would likely be picked in the next 90 days.