Yelm Chamber E. D. Victoria Wortberg
Photo credit:Thurston Talk

– “New Director Brings Economic Development Focus to Yelm Chamber”
“Wortberg transitioned to Yelm from her role as the first Program Manager of the Washington Center for Women in Business, a branch of the Thurston Economic Development Council. Prior to that she had run multi-state non-profit agencies, worked as a senior vice-president at a large health care system, established her own market research firm, and owned an award-winning national advertising agency.

She also was partner in a company focused on community revitalization. “We worked with communities that had fallen on hard times,” she says. “Some of them had downtowns that had deteriorated into nothing but gambling, strip joints and bars.”

When the opportunity came to lead the Yelm Chamber, she saw a chance to bring the diverse aspects of her background to bear in helping a small town retain its character in the middle of a rapid growth spurt,” quoting Heidi Smith, Thurston Talk.
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– “South Sounders enjoy decent purchasing power, study says”
From the Business Examiner.
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– “Localization Key to Valley Economic Development”
“Yelm Chamber Aims to Start Up Economic Development Council This Summer”
By Graham Perednia, Nisqually Valley News.
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– Editor’s Note:
Last Fall, Wortberg promised a refreshed, dynamic Yelm Chamber website. I encourage her to look at what a local Chamber of Commerce should be doing on their website –
[from Dayton WA., an area smaller than Yelm’s, yet with an impressive web presence]: Click here

* A Yelm Community Blog reader wrote:
“Another option the Chamber could investigate is ChamberMaster. Several of the Chambers in our area use it. There is a good deal of adaptability and customization available.”