The Arnold Chamber of Commerce has a new executive director – Stephanie Engle.
In addition, the organization has announced the winners of its Don Earl Citizen of the Year and Business Person of the Year awards for 2021.
Brad Cary, owner of Unrivaled Realty and Nemesis Fighting Alliance promoter, was named the Don Earl Citizen of the Year for his efforts to promote chamber and community events.
Kami Kimes, an account executive at Hillsboro Title Co., was named the Business Person of the Year.
The two winners were selected from among four nominees for each award. Kimes received her award at a Feb. 15 chamber luncheon, and Cary received his on Jan. 18.
Chamber president Holly Lincoln said Cary deserves the recognition.
“He is instrumental in the Arnold community,” she said. “He has assisted with a lot of events that have promoted the Arnold chamber. He has been a wonderful citizen, and that is why he was nominated for citizen of the year.”
Chamber treasurer Donna Litton said she nominated Kimes for the Business Person of the Year award and was happy to see her win.
“Once I saw the list of what Kami is actively involved in, I felt like I don’t know why she hasn’t received the award before,” Litton said.
Cary
Cary, a former chamber president, said he was surprised to be nominated for the award and barely made it to the luncheon to receive it.
“I had just come back from a red-eye flight (from Las Vegas) that landed at 6:30 in the morning,” Cary said. “I made it just in time for the luncheon. I can’t say how overjoyed and how grateful I am just to be considered.”
Lincoln said Cary is involved in supporting police officers, working with groups like the Arnold Police Officers Association and BackStoppers.
She also said he is part of the St. Louis Hero Network and helped organize the Michael Langsdorf Memorial Barbecue, which raised money for BackStoppers in honor of the former St. Louis County Police officer who was shot and killed while on duty in June 2019.
“He is a huge supporter of members of the police community,” Lincoln said.
Cary also holds drives throughout the year to collect toys to be distributed to families in need.
“There are a lot of things that I do, and I don’t do any of these things to receive awards,” Cary said. “I do them to help out where I can. Everything is about giving back to the community.”
Kimes
Kimes said she didn’t know she had been nominated for her award until two weeks before receiving it.
“Donna Litton said, ‘Hey, can you make it to this lunch meeting?’ Then she said there may be something coming with it,” Kimes said. “I cried when she told me. It was a huge surprise and a blessing at the same time. I was very tickled and surprised.”
Litton said Kimes is a member of 24 groups that support various causes.
Kimes is the chairwoman of the Jefferson County Growth Association’s Business Women of Jefferson County, she helps organize the Night of Super Stars and she is part of the Pony Bird advocacy committee.
“Kami is always happy, smiling and positive,” Litton said. “She just has a great outlook and perspective on life. I think that puts her in a good place to do all of the things she does. She does things for business organizations and nonprofits. She wants to make a difference.”
Engle
Engle said she already has completed part of one of her goals as the new executive director of the Arnold Chamber of Commerce.
The 39-year-old Herculaneum resident said she wants to recruit 50 new chamber members in honor of Arnold celebrating its 50th year as a city this year, and already 10 new members have joined since she took over as the executive director on Dec. 13.
Engle said she also is looking to add young business owners to the chamber’s ranks.
“I feel a lot of people 40 and younger have no idea what a chamber is,” she said. “I feel like they don’t realize the benefits that can help them, especially when they are starting a new business. The chamber has a lot of business owners with a lot of knowledge that the 40-and-under crowd can benefit from.”
Engle replaced Terri Starwalt, who left the chamber in October after five years in the job to take an administrative assistant job with the city.
Before coming to the chamber, Engle said she worked for about 15 years as a senior paralegal and office administrator for law firms but decided last year to change careers.
“I no longer wanted to be in the legal field,” Engle said. “I wasn’t actively pursuing a job. I figured when something sounded right, I would pursue it.”
That something turned out to be the chamber’s executive director position.
Engle said she found out about the opening when she was at Regions Bank in Arnold to make a deposit for the Meramec Sharks Hockey Club. She is part of the club’s board, and her 6-year-old son, Jackson, plays for the Sharks.
JR Horrall, who works at the bank and is a member of the chamber’s board of directors, told Engle about the open position.
“She (Engle) mentioned she recently quit her full-time position and was looking for something more part time,” Horrall said. “We just had the chamber director spot come open. I asked if she was looking to work 25 to 30 hours a week and have some flexibility. She said, ‘Yes.’”
Horrall, who was part of a four-member search committee, said Engle and two other candidates interviewed for the position. He said Engle’s experience working at law firms and helping run those offices stood out.
“Her organizational skills and clerical skills are pretty strong,” Horrall said. “When Terri Starwalt left the chamber, she left big shoes to fill. Terri did a great job for us. Stephanie has stepped right in and is learning quickly. She has done a good job.”
Lincoln, who is the director of the Jefferson College Arnold campus, said Engle is very driven and already has impressed the chamber.
“She has been amazing,” Lincoln said. “She has become instrumental in all of our events already. She wants to grow our social media presence. She wants to get young business owners and members to be more active.
“We are very thankful to have her.”
The chamber’s office is in the basement of Arnold City Hall, 2101 Jeffco Blvd, which Engle said is helpful because when she has questions, Starwalt is close by to answer them.
In addition to their son, Engle and her husband, Kurtis, have a 4-year-old daughter, Sadie.