Mission Statement
"The Greater Fayette County Chamber of Commerce will promote business prosperity and a healthy community by providing information, services and advocacy for its members."
Board of Directors
2021 Officers
President: Aaron Alderson - Edward Jones
Vice President: Ty Bates - Bates Insurance
Secretary: Amanda Milam - Peoples State Bank
Treasurer: Sally Emerick - FNB Community Bank
Past President: Kara Metzger - EmployBridge
Directors
Doug Knebel - Midland States Bank
Sandy Michel - Weichert Realtor - Heart and Home
Jennifer Garrison - Vandalia Schools
Wendy Blythe - Kaskaskia College
Andrew Kistler - Lanracorp, Inc.
Mike McCall - Driftstone Pubelo
Chelsey Jolliff - Mckellar, Robertson, McCarty & Click
Megan Kistler - FNB Community Bank
Committee Chairpersons
Membership/Ambassador: TBA
Events/Programs: TBA
Scholarship: TBA
Tourism Commission: TBA
2021 Officers
President: Aaron Alderson - Edward Jones
Vice President: Ty Bates - Bates Insurance
Secretary: Amanda Milam - Peoples State Bank
Treasurer: Sally Emerick - FNB Community Bank
Past President: Kara Metzger - EmployBridge
Directors
Doug Knebel - Midland States Bank
Sandy Michel - Weichert Realtor - Heart and Home
Jennifer Garrison - Vandalia Schools
Wendy Blythe - Kaskaskia College
Andrew Kistler - Lanracorp, Inc.
Mike McCall - Driftstone Pubelo
Chelsey Jolliff - Mckellar, Robertson, McCarty & Click
Megan Kistler - FNB Community Bank
Committee Chairpersons
Membership/Ambassador: TBA
Events/Programs: TBA
Scholarship: TBA
Tourism Commission: TBA
An Organization Rich In History
The Vandalia Chamber of Commerce was organized on April 3, 1914. The first elected officers were Charles Evans, president; Herbert Sonneman, vice president; and N.C. Gochenour, secretary-treasurer.
Charter members included the 13 people present at the first meeting: Mayor C.A. Janett, Judge George T. Turner, J.V. Waddell, Joseph C. Burtschi, Ira D. Lakin, P.T. Denny, J.S. Ritter, Nathan Levin, H.H. Sonnemann, J.S. Carp, George A. Kurtz, N.C. Gochenour and C.A. Evans.
Since its founding, the Vandalia Chamber of Commerce has been led by more than 75 different individuals – with some serving more than one year. R.O. Hasler was president for seven one-year terms in the late 1950s and early 1960s!
The first woman president was Marie Bristow, serving in 1978. Other women presidents include Jean Stombaugh, Bunny Brosman, Sandra Michel, Michelle Sarver, Kendra Craig, Pam Apke and 2009 president Joanna Helm.
In the early years, the chamber’s role included classic functions such as the recruitment of business and industry to Vandalia, but it also was heavily involved in the town’s civic and social functions. The method for electing officers was changed to the succession system in 1965.
