When Carrie Athay moved to Eastern Idaho 19 years ago, from Salt Lake City, Utah she expected to stay for two years. Now, as the new CEO of the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce, she wants to strengthen the connections that helped turn an unfamiliar place into home.
Athay said the community’s hardworking, innovative people helped convince her family to put down roots. Her career also grew in ways she had not anticipated, taking her from museum work to arts administration and now business advocacy.
Before joining the chamber, Athay served as curator and director of curatorial affairs at the Museum of Idaho and spent nearly five years as an executive director of the Idaho Falls Symphony. Those experiences taught her how shared stories, music and community involvement can bring people together.
At the chamber, she plans to build on those lessons through three pillars: advocacy, education and networking.
The organization provides opportunities for businesses to connect, learn and discuss issues affecting Eastern Idaho. Its monthly Chamber Connect lunches generally draw between 150 and 250 people, Athay said, bringing members together with speakers, business representatives and elected officials.
As she steps into her new role, Athay also wants to understand where the chamber could better serve its members.
“I would love to hear ideas and hear stories and experiences of how the chamber can be more beneficial to the business community and more impactful,” Athay said.
She is inviting current members, former members and other business owners to share their experiences and needs. Those conversations will help inform a strategic plan she expects to present to the chamber’s board in a few months, including improvements to existing programs and potential new offerings.
Looking ahead to her first year, Athay said success would include a clearer understanding of the chamber’s membership, an increase in members and personal outreach from chamber staff or ambassadors.
“I think that would be the thing that brings me the most pride: is growing our membership and growing this connection,” Athay said.
Athay also identified financial and procedural transparency, relationships with city leaders and state legislators, and support for workforce development as priorities.
For her, the work begins with making sure businesses know they matter and have a place in the chamber’s future.
“This is a great community. It’s worth investing in, and we are going to do that,” Athay said.