DUBOIS – Nancy Micks, executive director of the Greater DuBois Chamber of Commerce & Economic Development, recently announced her plans to retire later this year.
Her strong belief in community support and involvement has led Micks to fill the position of chamber director for the past 17 years. Also, she’s grown Chamber membership from approximately 350 to nearly 500 members across 15 municipalities.
Journeying through her past and speaking with Micks, the evidence clearly shows how she has been so successful.
A self-proclaimed extrovert, Micks was working at a bank as a proof operator keying in checks when a member of the bank’s board of directors approached her about working in the public. Also, the owner of the Holiday Inn, he instructed her to speak with one of his managers at the hotel.
Micks met with the manager and was quickly put to the test. After successfully booking a meeting at the hotel on the fly, she explained that she “left the bank business on Oct. 31, and started in the hotel business on Nov 1. That was back in 1978.”
Between her time at the Holiday Inn and later at the Ramada Inn, Micks spent almost 20 years in the hotel industry. “Both properties, different locations and different challenges, but both so right in my mind: all people, different things going on every day, and different events.
“I got to know the business people and the businesses…You really gain a wealth of knowledge.
“After nearly 20 years of that, I kind of knew who, what, where, when and why, and it made it easy after that when the Chamber Board President called on me to ask me if I would come to work here.”
Although she had some reservations due to a family matter, Micks knew “It was right up my alley. I had served on the Chamber Board for years and as Chamber President a couple times. So I thought let’s give it a shot.”
Micks hit the ground running and hasn’t stopped since. This, she said, is one of challenges she faces transitioning into retirement.
“Most of we [Baby] Boomers, we wait to fit the other pieces into our lives. We’ve spent all of those years concentrating on this work and doing and being that all of the outside fun stuff kind of disappeared. It became all work-related.”
When asked what she planned to do after retirement, Micks explained that she wanted to spend more time with her children and grandchildren.
“It’s great because with all of our kids based here, especially the high school kids, when we get in to baseball season and softball season, I’ve got lots of games to go to…I haven’t been able to do that consistently because I’ve always had other meetings,” she said.
Additionally, Micks looks forward to settling into her new house. She said, “I’m looking forward to doing some landscaping…It’s going to be fun to start again.”
As of Jan. 2 this year, Micks has become a part-time employee at the Chamber, working only 20 hours per week. At the same time, Jodi August, who has worked with Chamber Member Services for the past year, assumed the role of interim director. She will then take over as executive director when Micks officially retires.
“We have to move forward. I’m not silly enough to think there’s not a replacement for everyone, because that’s not the case,” she said.
When asked if she had a message for Chamber members and investors, Micks said, “Those investors who believe and have believed in this Chamber for all these years, they’ve got a great new leader, and we all need to show our support.
“We all need to offer different ideas, different challenges and help the Chamber continue providing the opportunities and the education that we all need.”
In closing Micks also alluded to her continued presence in the community, “I think I’ve said it before, but I may not give my key back.”