Chamber promotes executive, brings on 2 more

Last edited 3:52 p.m., Sept. 25, 2017

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce promoted its membership leader and hired two new top staff members.

Dori Grinder, who was hired by the chamber nearly two years ago as membership development manager, moved to vice president of membership development, according to a news release.

“Dori has continued to strengthen our focus on delivering value to members, as well as fine-tuning opportunities for them to connect and grow their businesses,” chamber President Matt Morrow said in the release of the former Ozark Chamber of Commerce executive director. “This title more accurately reflects her responsibilities and the fact that she serves as a vital member of our management team.”

When Grinder started in November 2015, the chamber had 1,400 members. It now has 1,538 members, officials say.

The chamber hired Jennifer McClure as vice president of strategic communications and Jen Moore as membership services coordinator.

McClure, who formerly worked as Greene County’s director of communications and public engagement, served as a consultant to the chamber to help it develop a strategic communications plan.

“Her deeper dive into a communications audit, media content analysis and member survey as part of that project offers the perfect starting point from which she can support the organization in full implementation of the plan,” Morrow said in the release.

Grinder and McClure join five other chamber vice presidents:
    •    Jennifer Dalton, operations;
    •    Ryan Mooney, economic development;
    •    Sandy Howard, public affairs;
    •    Emily Denniston, public affairs; and
    •    Lindsay Haymes, workforce development.

They’re among 24 employees at the chamber, according to the organization’s website.

Moore comes to the chamber from Drury University, where she was a financial aid coordinator. In her role, she provides administrative support to the chamber’s membership department and Leadership Springfield, its affiliate that offers leadership development programs.