Chamber of Commerce begins search for new director
Vicki Mallory announces retirement by end of 2024
 
For more than 30 years Algona Area Chamber of Commerce executive director Vicki Mallory has served as the engine driving the community activities that many people think “just happen.” Mallory has announced her decision to retire in December of 2024, and the search for a new director will soon be underway.
 
Looking back, Mallory said she never expected to be serving in the role as Chamber director. In fact, she had been tasked to help find one. She moved to Algona in 1988 to manage the Candlelite Motel with her husband Steve. Mallory quickly became involved with the Chamber of Commerce and local economic development initiatives. Little did she know that this early involvement would result in a community promotion career spanning three decades.
 
“There had been a lot of turnover in this position and, ironically, I was on the search committee to hire a Chamber director. We interviewed probably five to seven people, and nobody really rose to the top. The concern at that time, as is today, is the fact that there are a lot of people that would love to lead a Chamber, but they are looking for resume building and job hopping and moving into that next big position. And that was what we experienced in the interviewing process,” Mallory said.
 
Then one night she received a phone call from fellow search committee member, Brian Schiltz of KOFAB. He told her that he had found their Chamber director replacement.
 
“I said, and who might that be? And he said, “That would be you,” said Mallory.
 
Schiltz had worked with Mallory through the Chamber board activities, as well as on the search committee, and believed she had the qualities the community needed.
 
“I told her, you have a lot of energy, you have a lot of excitement about the Chamber, and you really promote it and the community well,” said Schiltz.
 
He pitched his idea to the others on the search committee, Roger Batt and Dick Plum.
 
“I threw ‘em for a loop. Sometimes the right person is just right underneath your nose,” he said.
 
“From there I put in a resume and was interviewed, and I was hired,” said Mallory. “My first day was April 1, 1993.”
 
Since that time, Mallory has been on the forefront of promoting the community, planning events and collaborating with community partners to make things happen in Algona.
 
“I’m very proud of the fact that the businesses were willing to trust me with this organization. And that we are all here for the same reason - working together makes us all stronger. Algona has always had a very strong reputation statewide, with our Chamber and our business community. It’s always a proud moment for me when I go to places. People know that we get things done…we make things happen,” Mallory said.
 
One of Mallory’s first priorities after accepting the job was to pull the Chamber leadership and the business community together.
 
“It was a lot of hands on, which we found out is what people wanted. Personal visits…just taking the time to create a visitation schedule, communication,” she said.
 
Getting out and connecting with business owners and setting up clear structures for Chamber dues was an investment of time that was worth the effort.
 
“The grand openings, the coffees, she would work with any business - anything from industrial to financial to retail. It didn’t make a difference what kind of business it was, she understood what they were all about and how they were important to Algona,” said Schiltz. “That was a big part of it, trying to live up to the expectations of an executive director. She has done that and exceeded it. She’s been a good fit. It’s going to be tough to replace her.”
 
Shannon Goche of Iowa State Bank currently serves as the Chamber Board president and has been involved with a variety of Chamber of Commerce programs and initiatives. She attributes Mallory’s leadership as a factor in her personal engagement with the community.
 
“My affiliation with the Chamber began as I started my career as a 21-year-old living outside of Bancroft in 1997. The Chamber and Vicki’s guidance influenced both my business and personal relationships and led me to be further involved in the Algona community and helping me feel more at home in Algona,” Goche said.
Although not every business is able to take advantage of all the benefits of being a Chamber member, several of the larger businesses do benefit indirectly from Chamber-led activities.
 
“A lot of businesses ask what the Chamber does for them. They do a lot of things to support the community that makes our employees happy. Things like the craft show, having retail, all of that,” Schiltz said. “She’s always been very good at promoting Algona and getting businesses to come on board to be members to support the community.”
 
Creating events and activities that appeal to a broad audience and enriching the lives of people in the community is a big part of the Chamber, Goche said.
 
“Everyone benefits from Chamber activities and promotions. If you purchased a Spend $20, Get $30 gift card during COVID-19 or enjoyed a bargain at Ridiculous Days, you’ve been impacted by the Chamber,” said Goche. “My fondest memories were the Johnny Holm Band at Founders Day that brought people county-wide and beyond to Algona.  Party in the Park and the Band Day Festival are successful thanks to the Chamber’s coordination and Vicki’s leadership. Most recently the monthly trivia nights have been wildly popular.  The Chamber is always looking for the next great idea!”
Planning events is a major focus at the Chamber office. Mallory worked with a local crafter, Sandy Batt and her crafting partner Karleen Wittkopf, to get the craft show started.  For several years, they had been going to many shows within a 100-to-150-mile radius and understood what factors would help make a show successful.
Since then, the Autumnfest Craft and Vendor Show in Algona has become an October tradition for many craft enthusiasts. Mallory believes this event has the greatest positive impact on the community of all the activities the Chamber offers.
 
“The craft show started the year that I started this job. We’ve adapted and we’ve made some necessary changes. We’ve been blessed with some really dedicated people and made some really good friends,” she said.
 
Founders’ Day is born
Another Algona tradition that came to life under Mallory’s direction was Founders’ Day. This annual community event was the brainchild of Mallory and former mayor, Lynn Kueck. If it wasn’t for thousands of bicyclists passing through town for RAGBRAI, it may have never happened.
 
“In 1999 we hosted RAGBRAI in Algona. That particular year after RAGBRAI came through, I got a call from (then) Mayor Lynn Kueck, and he said can we sit down and talk? He had citizens that had asked him, why does Algona wait to host RAGBRAI to have a party? Every other community has an annual celebration. Let’s do something in Algona. So, we brainstormed some ideas,” Mallory said.
 
Kueck, being the “perpetual historian” suggested a theme that honored the founding fathers of Algona. From there, Founders’ Day was born.
 
“He researched very thoroughly the Ambrose and Asa Call families and the history of Algona, and between the two of us we put a committee together and came up with ideas on how we could make it an annual celebration. Then leading up to our sesquicentennial, we were trying to do things that would build on that. The beards, and the cookbooks and all the memorabilia. We tried to add something new every year, just to keep it fresh.”
 
The Founders’ Day Celebration will celebrate its 25^th anniversary this summer and will be held July 11-14. Many of the traditional activities are still offered, such as the Friday night street dance downtown. Some of the newer events include a World Food Festival, Art in the Park and a volleyball tournament. A full schedule for the weekend can be found at www.algona.org.
 
“Vicki Mallory is the gold standard for community pride, promotion, and a desire to better Algona. For over 24 years, I have enjoyed working with Vicki on countless projects, including RAGBRAI, Founders Day, Party in the Park, and Band Day. She has always been positive, organized, and a leader for these important community events. Her passion and ability to coordinate volunteers, vendors, and key stakeholders have guaranteed their success. Vicki has been instrumental in our economic development activities. She continues innovating with new ideas and project implementation to put the Go in Algona, from working on daycare options for families, promoting our retail business corridors, and seeking ideas and collaborations from other state and local leaders. I have been fortunate to work with Vicki. Her drive has made Algona a better place to live, work, and play,” said John Bilsten, General Manager at Algona Municipal Utilities and president of the Algona Area Economic Development Corporation.
 
Inspiring future leaders
Another significant program that began under Mallory’s tenure was Leadership Algona. This program attracts participants from local businesses and the community for a nine-month leadership class focused on community engagement and awareness, volunteerism and leadership skills.
 
“I was sitting in my office one day and in marched Scott Curtis and Jim Conard. They said, we need to talk to you, we have an idea. The next thing I knew, we were sponsoring a leadership program, and it has grown to be one of our flagship programs,” Mallory said.
 
When Leadership Algona began it was held over a 10-week period, but the content and structure of the sessions evolved over time. It was also influenced by program participants as well as community members who had participated in leadership programs in other places. The Chamber worked with Stacy Besch to lead and coordinate the community program.
 
The sessions are all about Algona, with topics ranging from the history of the community to industry tours of local businesses. Class members attend a city council meeting and are introduced to the area service clubs. Together, the class determines a volunteer project to focus on. Out of all the individuals who have participated in this program over the past 19 years, many have gotten involved in clubs, boards, committees and other leadership roles. Tyler Gibney, a graduate of the leadership program, is an engineer at Snap-on. His involvement in the program led him to join the Algona City Council.
 
“I was part of the Chamber Leadership class shortly after I moved to town and started working at Snap-on and feel that the program has served me in different ways at different times in my life,” Gibney said. “When I first went through the program and was new to town, it was a way to meet new people.  I was also able to gain a better understanding of the many businesses in town and how the city operates. As my career advanced, the leadership skills I learned in the class have served me well.  Over time, I realized I needed to apply those skills outside of work too, which ultimately led me to my City Council position. From there it developed into getting involved in other events and serving on other committees.  Algona is an amazing place to live, work, and raise a family, and Vicki and the Chamber undoubtedly play a huge role in making it great.”
 
Several large-scale community projects have come out of the program, from the Glow Run and the bring back of BRAK (Bike Ride Across Kossuth) to the new Algona sign at the corner of State Street and Highway 169.
 
The session held in 2023-2024 was led by Chamber staff person, Amy Whitacre. In 2023, Leadership Algona Alumni lunches kicked off, with meetings offered on a quarterly basis. The class is currently recruiting participants for the upcoming session in 2024-2025.
 
As Mallory prepares to step down from her 31-year career in the Chamber of Commerce office, she does so with pride and a sense of thanks for the Algona community.
 
“I think I am most proud of the way the business community has supported me and the successes that we have had with the people who have served on the Board of Directors. I never experienced anything but positive. It will be very hard to let go,” Mallory said. “You put 30 plus years of your life into it…it’s very emotional. I can say I truly love coming to work yet, like I did in the beginning, and it has given me so many opportunities that I would not have ever had. Algona is a great community. We have our challenges, but we always work through them, and we always come out better for it.”
 
To learn more about the Algona Area Chamber of Commerce and the executive director position, visit www.algona.org or call 515-295-7201.