Chamber manager retires in February

Wagner says Moses Lake, chamber have bright futures

MOSES LAKE — It's the end of an era.

Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce manager Karen Wagner recently announced she plans to retire from the position she has held for 27 years, in February. Wagner's last day in the office is Feb. 7, her retirement will be effective Feb. 28. She will be on leave following her last day.

"After 31 years, I think it's time to move over and let somebody else have this marvelous opportunity," Wagner said, counting her time as a paid staff member with the Ephrata Chamber of Commerce prior to her arrival at the Moses Lake chamber.

Working with people is what Wagner said makes the opportunity marvelous.

"People provide a challenge, provide an opportunity," she said. "It's been great to see what's happening here in Moses Lake."

Wagner said she first became involved with the chambers as a chaperone to royalty; her daughters were of age to run for Miss Ephrata, and so she got involved as a chaperone. Before that, she had worked as field director agent for the American Red Cross from Fairchild Air Force Base, a job that was not without its own share of responsibilities.

"I'd worked for the Red Cross long enough to know that I wanted a people-type job," Wagner recalled. "And boy, talk about a people-type job; the chamber really is."

Staying with chamber for 31 years is a bit of an unusual phenomenon, Wagner said, as chamber managers don't often stay with the chamber for so long.

"There's a number of reasons for that," she said. "One, you're very close to the public and there's a lot of public relations, there's a lot of politics, a lot of behind the scenes activity. I guess my philosophy is one of, I just want the job to get done, I don't care where the credit goes."

Egos play a big part in development, Wagner said, and one has to be very careful, at least in her philosophy, to stay behind the scenes and let somebody else take the credit.

"That's a two-edged sword, because sometimes, that protects you from a problem," she said with a light chuckle.

Wagner said she has remained in her position long enough to know the politics of her community and to enjoy what she is doing.

"The people are wonderful," she said. "Overall, the people of Moses Lake are outstanding."

Wagner said she would like to do some travel upon retiring, and she intends to clean her house and garden.

"I'm a people person and it's going to be difficult for me to just kind of fade into the woodwork," she said. "I don't think that's going to be possible. I'm going to be looking for something."

Wagner has many memories of her time with the chamber.

"I think one of my proudest memories here was when I got my first paycheck, because I walked into this office and we were literally broke," she said. "There was no money, and it took a couple months for us even to be able to find a paycheck."

The opportunity to work with what she termed "the movers and the shakers of the community" was both inspiring and not without challenges, Wagner added. The job has allowed her to work with different organizations on a team to make things happen.

"When we are able to announce a new business coming to town, or just the fact that the chamber office itself has physically doubled in size since I've been here … the chamber is really fiscally responsible and I feel very good about that," she said.

Wagner said the most difficult part of the job is failure, which she said she doesn't like to see. Her preference would be for endeavors to be planned and organized.

"I don't think the exercise that we went through to get Boeing here was a failure," she said. "I think it was a positive, because now we know what we're talking about, and a lot of good exercises came out of that.v"

Several of the most recent chamber presidents shared their thoughts on the news of Wagner's retirement.

"She's seen a lot, influenced a lot and done a lot for our community," present chamber president Jacie Daschel said, noting that she has mixed emotions about Wagner leaving. "We'll always be happy that she was with us that long."

"She's done a wonderful job for the chamber for longer than I can remember," said P.J. De Benedetti, who turned over the presidency to Daschel earlier this year. "It's really a challenge to find someone to come in and to continue her success."

Alan Heroux served as chamber president from 2003-2004, and said he solicited a promise from Wagner that she not retire while he held that position. He said he was happy for Wagner.

"She's been in the position for a long time, done great things for the chamber and I know she has been looking forward to retirement," Heroux said. "As far as the chamber's concerned, we've got some shoes that are tough to fill."

Daschel said that the chamber is accepting applications through Dec. 12.

"She has made the chamber of commerce," Daschel said of Wagner. "Fortunately, she's not moving out of the area or anything (and will) still be here to advise and give input. I think Karen's real excited about having a good transition, and that's what we're all working toward."

As for Wagner, she thinks the future is bright for Moses Lake and for the chamber, advising that people keep looking ahead, and be progressive instead of regressive.

"Moses Lake is ready to bust," she said. "We are on the threshold of a very bright future, and the chamber is going to be part of that.

"The chamber already is part of that. We've got good leadership."