Members of the ‘Best Team Ever’ at the Prescott Chamber of Commerce Strive to Give Back to the Community They Love
By Hilary Dartt
Sheri Heiney, President and CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, has been in the business for almost three decades. This is the third chamber she’s worked for, and she said during a recent interview that her current team is “the best team ever.”
Coincidentally, most of her team members are women. The exception: Visitor Information Manager Robert Coombs, who’s been with the Prescott Chamber for 20 years and said of the team, “We absolutely love working together. We’re very caring and customer-service friendly inside and out.”
The team also includes Event Manager Crystal Stewart, Executive Assistant Katie Citrenbaum, Bookkeeper Glaucia Hernandez, and Membership Manager Marie Simpson.
Sheri explained that as a chamber of commerce and a state-designated visitor center, the Prescott Chamber must be nimble and ready to pivot and change—and this team makes that happen to meet the needs of the community and visitors.
“What I love about this team is that we all learn from each other every day, and we all bring something different to the table,” said Glaucia, who started as an intern because she wanted to learn more about bookkeeping … and quickly worked her way up to the Accounting Manager position.
Crystal said she’s always worked with mostly women, but “it’s never been as cohesive as this,” and Marie said, “Being on this team is very empowering. Sheri gives us confidence and empowers us to go out and execute our job … and do what we need to do.
“We all love Prescott,” Katie said. “We all believe in Prescott and this community.”
And, Robert said, “Prescott is a really easy city to sell. There is so much to do here. I love telling people about what’s going on here.”
The mission of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce is to provide leadership and resources to create a vibrant business environment for Prescott. Its vision: to be the premier advocate for businesses, economic development, and tourism in Prescott.
The work this team does, though, is so much more than that.
For example, Crystal explained that when she plans and puts on events (which happen year-round), it’s full steam ahead.
Afterwards, she said, “You get those pictures back, from the parade or the art show, and you see families enjoying [the events]—and you know you helped create that memory for them.”
“I feel like the work I’m doing is important and valued,” Katie said, and Marie said her favorite thing about the job is that it’s more than just a job. “It’s serving the community and giving back.”
The numbers show that the chamber is serving the community well: Arizona’s Christmas City events have a $52 million impact, create 500 jobs, and generates $3 million in taxes. The summer’s Signature Events have a $68 million impact, create 700 jobs, and generate $5 million in taxes, Sheri said.
The chamber couldn’t be as successful as it is, Sheri said, without a wonderful board and a strong core of volunteers and ambassadors.
As of this writing, the Prescott Chamber of Commerce has 1,048 members; Marie clarified that “it’s not always about the numbers—it’s about the active participation of members.”
While members do come to the events, they also support each other and, Marie said, “That’s how Prescott flourishes.”
Robert encourages locals to stop by and see what the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center have to offer, and pick up a printed calendar of upcoming events.
Learn more about membership and see a full list of events at https://www.prescott.org. Follow the chamber on Facebook and Instagram @PrescottChamber.