‘It’s not a goodbye’: St. George Area Chamber President and CEO Don Willie bids farewell to Southern Utah

ST. GEORGE — President and CEO of the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce Don Willie is leaving Southern Utah and starting work at Sandy’s South Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Don Willie, president and CEO for the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce, date and location not specified | Photo courtesy of Don Willie, St. George News

Before moving to St. George, Willie worked with businesses across the state as managing director at World Trade Center Utah and became familiar with Southern Utah while visiting local businesses, he said.

He moved to St. George in 2018 to build the Atwood Innovation Plaza at Dixie State University. He said they estimated it would take five years to build, but they completed the project in just 18 months.

He said St. George has a special place in his and his family’s hearts, adding that his twins were born at St. George Regional Hospital.

“It’s an amazing community,” he said. “St. George has – there’s something magical about it, right? There’s just something that’s really special. You don’t feel like you’re stepping back in time but you feel like the world slows down a little bit.”

Working at the Chamber

In 2020, Willie was recruited by the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce. He said he never envisioned his career would lead him to work at a chamber of commerce and that he’d previously focused on politics and policy.

“I always kind of looked at chambers as an antiquated organization, kind of an old-fashioned model,” he said. “But the more that I got to know chambers and saw the potential that they have for businesses in the community, for economic development and growth, the more it intrigued me and I was interested to be a part of that.”

Don Willie at the grand opening of the Siva Pasefika dance studio, St. George, Utah, Jan. 8, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Don Willie, St. George News

Willie said the Chamber isn’t just for private businesses, noting that it’s a community organization that also works with nonprofits and government entities. He said his time there has “been a ride.”

“It’s been two years – an incredible experience,” Willie said. “I’ve had such a good time working with businesses and with the communities but it’s been very much a roller coaster. I mean, we didn’t anticipate COVID and we didn’t anticipate the enormous growth that we’ve experienced in the community but it’s allowed the chamber to really step into its role, which is really being that convener of businesses and community leaders, and really figuring out the best way to move forward collectively.”

He said 400 new members have joined the St. George Area Chamber, which is the second-largest in Utah.

In an accounting of the Chamber’s 2021 progress, Willie wrote that the organization’s gross revenue increased by 71%. Additionally, during his time as president and CEO, the Chamber launched the RISE summit, as well as the 30 in Their 30s and Element awards.

A growing community

Willie said people are drawn to St. George’s charm.

In this file photo, Don Willie, president and CEO of the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce, speaks during the chamber’s Salute to America luncheon, St. George, Utah, June 30, 2021 | Photo by Mori Kessler, St. George News

“They want to be in the mix, they want to be a part of the community,” he said.”So it’s created a lot of pressures and sometimes those pressures are seen as negatives. They’re seen as you know, tearing the community apart or making it something that it’s not and I think there’s a balance there.”

The most rewarding aspect of his job was being able to “shift the paradigm in our community.” However, he said some individuals were concerned about those changes.

“But creating a space for those individuals to have a voice to be able to talk about concerns was so, so, so important, because, I mean, it became – it was a challenge. It created a barrier for progress until those conversations could be had. I think all of us want to have a voice, right?”

What’s next? 

The South Valley Chamber of Commerce posted an announcement on its Facebook page naming Willie its new Chief Operating Officer and Vice President of marketing. Willie is expected to begin work on June 6.

“At the South Valley Chamber, our mission is to connect, educate, advocate and grow the businesses in our region,” South Valley Chamber President and CEO Jay Francis said in the post. “It is a dynamic time for the South Valley area and adding Don to our team will help us stay fresh and relevant for the business community.”

This file photo shows President and CEO of the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce Don Willie at the 2021 State of the Chamber luncheon Jan. 20 2021 | Photo by David Dudley, St. George News

The Chamber serves Sandy, Draper, Riverton and South Jordan, Willie said, adding that he’ll work on collaborations across the Wasatch Front.

“It’s going to be exciting to move from an area that’s just experiencing such great growth in southern Utah to another area of the state that’s experiencing explosive growth too, in a different way,” he said.

Additionally, Willie plans to continue building his businesses, Willie Strategies, a public relations firm and Love Utah Box, which sells gift boxes filled with Utah-sourced products.

Willie said he hopes for “smart and sustainable growth” in Southern Utah, describing it as the area’s biggest challenge. Additionally, he hopes local businesses will rise to the challenge and join the conversation as community dynamics shift and become more diverse.

St. George Area Chamber of Commerce acting President and CEO, and COO Brad Buhanan thanked Willie in the chamber’s weekly newsletter for guiding the Chamber during the pandemic, describing it as “some of the most difficult times the Chamber has seen in decades.”

Don Willie and Kale Goodman, the featured speaker at the Startup Grind launch, St. George, Utah, Oct. 22, 2021 | Photo courtesy of Don Willie, St. George News

“We wish you the best in your new role,” Buhanan said. “The South Valley Chamber of Commerce will instantly be elevated by having you involved as their COO and vice president of marketing.”

Willie said he hopes the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce will continue to grow and thrive under Buhanan and the new Director of Member Services Colette Cox, adding that he has “full faith and confidence in their efforts.”

Willie said he has committed his continued support of the Tech Ridge, Black Desert and Desert Color projects from Northern Utah. Willie said the St. George area is full of potential and he’ll be watching from afar.

“It’s not a goodbye,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to support and be a champion from a different perspective now.”

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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