Mission Statement
The Greater Fayette County Chamber of Commerce shall serve its members by encouraging and supporting: Business Growth, Economic Development, Tourism, and Networking Opportunities.
Board of Directors
2018 Officers
President: Joe Schaal - First National Bank
Vice President: Pat Click - McKellar, Robertson, McCarty & Click Insurance
Secretary: Kara Metzger - Priority Staffing Group
Treasurer: Sally Emerick - Holiday Inn Express
Past President: Todd Stapleton - WKRV/WPMB
Directors
Term 2016-2018
Sally Emerick- Holiday Inn Express
Doug Knebel — Midland States Bank
Sandy Stempinski — Heart & Home Realty
Rick Gottman -- City of Vandalia
Todd Stapleton — WPMB/WKRV
Term 2017-2019
Pat Click — McKellar, Robertson, McCarty & Click Insurance
Joe Schaal - First National Bank
Kara Metzger — Priority Staffing Group
John Goldsmith - First National Bank
Therese Tate — WKRV/WPMB
Term 2018-2020
Mark Burnam — LuAllen, Cearlock, Barth & Burnam
Lorin Kirk — Flowers Insurance
Mark Langston - OctoChem
Kevin Satterthwaite -- Pine Ridge Homes
Kelly Washburn -- Fayette County Real Estate
Committee Chairpersons
Ambassador: Sally Emerick
Banquet: TBA
Membership: TBA
Scholarship: TBA
Tourism: TBA
Ways & Means: TBA
Government Relations: Todd Stapleton
Professional Development: TBA
2018 Officers
President: Joe Schaal - First National Bank
Vice President: Pat Click - McKellar, Robertson, McCarty & Click Insurance
Secretary: Kara Metzger - Priority Staffing Group
Treasurer: Sally Emerick - Holiday Inn Express
Past President: Todd Stapleton - WKRV/WPMB
Directors
Term 2016-2018
Sally Emerick- Holiday Inn Express
Doug Knebel — Midland States Bank
Sandy Stempinski — Heart & Home Realty
Rick Gottman -- City of Vandalia
Todd Stapleton — WPMB/WKRV
Term 2017-2019
Pat Click — McKellar, Robertson, McCarty & Click Insurance
Joe Schaal - First National Bank
Kara Metzger — Priority Staffing Group
John Goldsmith - First National Bank
Therese Tate — WKRV/WPMB
Term 2018-2020
Mark Burnam — LuAllen, Cearlock, Barth & Burnam
Lorin Kirk — Flowers Insurance
Mark Langston - OctoChem
Kevin Satterthwaite -- Pine Ridge Homes
Kelly Washburn -- Fayette County Real Estate
Committee Chairpersons
Ambassador: Sally Emerick
Banquet: TBA
Membership: TBA
Scholarship: TBA
Tourism: TBA
Ways & Means: TBA
Government Relations: Todd Stapleton
Professional Development: 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.
