Q&A: New Chamber director talks goals, community

Editor’s note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Stephen Hardin was recently named executive director of the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce. He will succeed the retiring Karl Terry.

Q: What inspired you to take on the role of executive director at the Chamber?

A: As cliché as it sounds, my goal has always been to help make the world a better place, whether by great means or small gestures. My career in education (college instructor) and in the non-profit (New Mexico Christian Children’s Home) sector are a testament to this.

As a small business owner (Oliver’s Emporium), we do this in many ways, one of which is by meeting the needs and wants of our customers in our community near and far.

I have been community minded as far back as I can remember and have always wanted to make sure others were included. There is just something about bringing people together, whether for a cause, event or even a meal.

The beautiful combination of fellowship mixed with nostalgia; brought on by how frequently we used to gather years ago, heals the soul. All this to say, my inspiration is derived from wanting to see Portales come together as a community and create an environment where residents and businesses alike can enjoy life, excel in their endeavors, and potentially place roots.

Q: Karl Terry has been Chamber director for more than a decade. Do you feel like you’re inheriting a healthy entity?

A: Karl has a history with this town as well as the Chamber. I typically see Karl in good spirits, and he brings that into what he does with the county.

I have been involved in various forms or facets of events the Chamber has helped with or hosted, including the Peanut Valley Festival and the County Fair.

Karl has a good rapport at these events, and I am grateful to build on the work and relationships he has cultivated over his tenure.

As with anything, I will have my own metrics of success as well as the board’s, so we will work hand in hand to build on what Karl has put into place and modify as we see fit.

Q: Is there a definitive date when Karl leaves and you take over?

A: Yes and no. It really depends as far as training, but once I and the board feel we are ready to proceed, it will be announced again. We are planning for March.

Q: You’ve said you plan to keep your job with New Mexico Christian Children’s Home in Portales. What is your job there and how can you balance two full-time positions?

A: If you are reading this and know me, I’m sure you smiled at this question. I seem to always have multiple areas I am working in and make sure the

work gets done and done well.

I am the director of development for NMCCH. I have rich heritage with the Home and it holds a place in my heart.

We serve multiple demographics, so if you are in need or want to check us out feel free.

A large portion of my job carries similar if not the same duties as Chamber director, so I have a good idea going in of what the job consists of and I have a solid foundation.

It is indeed about balance and making sure the main things get taken care of. If you have a good team, that’s more than half the battle. We accomplish so much more from working together and working with solid people.

Q: What goals have you set for the Chamber over the next six months?

A: I mentioned earlier working in education. I am in my 14th year of teaching at the college level (in which I will be stepping back to focus on the Chamber) and the three main ideas or goals of public speaking are as follows:

Put the audience first, deep speaks to deep and leave the audience wanting more. With that in mind I will put the people and businesses first, by listening to what they expect as Chamber members and as a community.

I also feel you have more of an investment or connection in something you participate in, so I will actively seek people who want to be part of this vision. With these as foundational tenets, I believe our community will want to be part of the bigger picture.

Q: What about long-term? Any goals to reach in the next five years?

A: I have found with most things in life there are always certain answers for everything, we just need to be aware of who said it and why. I hear certain reasons for various implementations or removals of things but want to get the facts.

A smaller end-of-year goal would be to get the lights back on the buildings on the square. This could be for Christmas or just an update for the town. It reminds of the small towns in movies, and it would be a great community project to begin revitalizing various public places throughout the county. This will take communication with various departments, and I look forward to strengthening these relationships.

Q: The legislative session is well under way. How do you effectively communicate with lawmakers and help them help Portales’ business community?

A: The short session has pretty much had its course determined, but as always, the Chamber will be listening to and relaying the needs of the county.

Q: How can the Legislature and government in general help the business community?

A: It would be great to get incentive programs funded and possibly relay the needs for additional programs. It can be tough to be a small business owner and having potential incentive programs that not only help businesses, but the community is a win in my book.