Shuford named new chamber manager

Daschel praises past president's depth of experience

MOSES LAKE— The Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce has found a replacement for its departing longtime manager.

Karen Wagner announced in December that she would be retiring in February, after 27 years in the position of chamber manager.

The chamber announced Thursday that Bev Shuford will take on the position.

A Moses Lake resident since 1983, Shuford has served on the chamber board of directors and was president of the chamber in 2000-2001. This year, she was honored with the chamber's Ambassador of the Year Award.

"I think it was all my years on the chamber board and my interest in being in the chamber of commerce," Shuford said her reasons to pursue the position. "I just felt it was just the right thing for me. There's the management part of it, I've been doing that for years, and I think working with the people — the events that we host, and the chance to get out there. Moses Lake is really going, it's really taking off, and I kinda want to be a part of it."

Shuford credits working with people as the reasons for much of her community involvement and volunteer work, which includes Soroptimist International, the Miss Moses Lake Pageant Committee and the Moses Lake Spring Festival.

"I've made a lot of friends over the years," she said.

"(She) has been a past president, she has been a longtime ambassador, been involved as president of Soroptimists," said chamber president Jacie Daschel. "She was just clearly the candidate of all the applications that we received, and we went through last week and did interviews, and Monday we selected Bev and she accepted."

Shuford is a forward thinker, Daschel said, and excited about continuing good things at the chamber.

The chamber interviewed six people for the position.

"We're all excited about the depth of her experience that she brings, especially with her work with the Humane Society, Soroptimists and of course the chamber," Daschel said. "She sort of knows what we've succeeded at, what we need to improve on and some of those things. It will be a shorter learning curve than your typical new situation."

Shuford will maintain ownership of her business, Columbia Glass, but devote herself full time to the chamber manager position.

"I think it's going to be an easy transition," she said. "I'm pretty familiar with what's happening, so I think that part's going to be the easier part. But I've got a lot to learn too."

Shuford said she does not have any "big time" changes planned for the chamber. She will begin work toward the end of January, she said, and work with Wagner to learn the day-to-day operations of the chamber.

"I'm going to spend a little bit of time with Karen before she leaves, and she's not going very far," Shuford said. "So her shoes are really big shoes to step into, as everybody knows, but I'm up for the challenge, I really am."

Shuford's hiring also got the seal of approval from her predecessor.

"I think that the transition will be smooth," Wagner said. "Bev is past chamber president and is aware not only of her community, but what happens in this office. She's a proven leader and I'm pleased to leave the chamber in such good hands."