Carol Johnson, Southern Indiana Business Report
JASPER – If Nancy Eckerle taught a master class on organizational leadership she would probably say, “Keep a calendar, be flexible, have passion for the work and surround yourself with good people.”
Eckerle embodies all those qualities and they have served her well as executive director of the Jasper Chamber of Commerce, a job she has held since 1987.
In June, Eckerle was awarded the Indiana Chamber Director of the Year by the Indiana Chamber Executives Association. Her nominators described her as a “powerhouse” who uses “both old-school hard work and modern-day innovation.” They praised her ability to lead, listen and show a willingness to find solutions to challenges or unmet community needs. As Chamber director, she engages with local businesses to make sure they have resources to flourish.
A native of Jasper and a graduate of Indiana State University, Eckerle was using her degree in social work when she applied for the director’s job at the Chamber director.
She has been the face of the Jasper Chamber for 37 years, but that’s far from her only job. She’s a member of the Jasper City Council, involved in Strassenfest, the city’s annual German heritage festival, and has served on numerous nonprofit boards and business organizations at the state and local level. All this she has done as a working mom.
Eckerle spoke with Southern Indiana Business Report about her work at the Jasper Chamber and the role the Chamber has played in the city’s growth.
What led you to the job as executive director of the Jasper Chamber of Commerce in 1987?
The nursing home social work job was my dream job but things at the nursing home were going haywire and when I saw the Jasper Chamber job was open it was a job that interested me. I did some research to find out what a Chamber of Commerce does and I applied. I had a panel interview with probably 15 people, which was pretty intimidating, and I ended up getting the job.
The city of Jasper has grown from a population of 10,000 in 1987, to 17,000 in 2024. What has propelled the growth?
To me, that growth has come about from the business community and our industries. We have major players here along with very progressive downtown businesses. As the large companies have grown they need more employees. Those leaders have made us a magnet for people to live here. Another thing is Jasper has many of the amenities that you would find in a large city. You can pretty much get your needs met here without leaving.
What are some other positive developments you’ve seen as Chamber executive director?
We focus a lot on the arts here. We built the combined Thyen-Clark Cultural Center, which houses the library and cultural center. It has been a tremendous boost. The Cultural Center has three art galleries and the library offers so many wonderful programs. The various people on those boards (and former Mayor Terry Seitz and current Mayor Dean Vonderheide) had the foresight to plan ahead in creative ways.
What are some things Jasper has done to keep up with that growth in population?
We’ve looked at our neighborhood parks and they’ve been reinvigorated. The former country club was turned into Parklands of Jasper. The things we’ve done are things that people can do without leaving our community to go to bigger cities to find those amenities. The schools also play a key part in meeting the demands in the importance of education for our residents.
Over your 37-year career, were their mentors or people who inspired you along the way?
I never had a formal mentor but there were a lot of people in the community I looked to. Definitely, members of our chamber board have become good friends and “friends of the chamber.”
I like to have people on the board who are involved in the chamber and engaged with the community. We have 18 members on the board and each member serves a three-year term and then they go off. You need a rotation to keep your board fresh and Chamber moving forward.
One of your nominators said you continue to bring new ideas to the table. How have you managed to avoid getting stuck in a rut after 37 years in the job?
For me, it’s approaching every day with a positive attitude and that rotation of board members so that fresh ideas are brought to the table. We don’t do the same things we did 37 years ago and many committees have dissolved because what they focused on, we don’t need anymore. I think being involved and knowing what’s going on in the community is important because when you know the hot topics, that’s where you put your focus.
I think being involved and knowing what’s going on in the community is important because when you know the hot topics, that’s where you put your focus.
Nancy Eckerle, Jasper Chamber of Commerce executive director
What would you say are the most important skills or traits to be an effective Chamber director?
Being organized and well disciplined are important. I still have a paper calendar and I work on it every day, planning out my goals and daily/weekly tasks. I’m a planner but I think you also have to be flexible. Being able to bring the right people together when there’s an issue that needs to be addressed is another important skill.
What skill or trait do you value the most?
I would say being passionate, caring for people and willing to listen. We have a lot of people come to the Chamber office who are in need. They might need housing or social services, we’re not the answer, but we can direct them to resources and I feel strongly that it’s important they leave here knowing someone cares and gets them help they need. I am a firm believer that
it is important to never let anyone leave the office or the phone call with a ‘no’ answer to their question. The Chamber is a community resource that leads people to the other resources in the community.
You helped develop the Regional Women’s Conference, a networking event for women, talk about that and why it’s important?
During COVID, we stayed open and came to work every day, but some chambers went home and closed their doors. To stay connected, some of the area chamber directors met monthly on a Zoom call. We decided to do something as a team and since it was all women, we said let’s do a women’s conference. This will be the fourth year for it. The purpose of the conference is to meet the needs of women working in southern Indiana and of being a woman in a man’s world. In addition – The Jasper Chamber sponsors a Women Empowering Women group that meets quarterly and about 100 women are members of that group. The WEW group has been around for nearly 10 years.
You have served on dozens of boards, committees and nonprofits including Strassenfest, Freedom Reins Therapeutic Riding School, Indiana Chamber Executives Association, Dubois County Substance Abuse Council, Crane Regional Defense Group and Jasper City Council, what drives you to want to do all of these things and how do you find the time?
When our kids left home I wanted to do something to challenge myself. I’m not an animal lover and I’m afraid of horses but I’m a people lover so I joined Freedom Reins Therapeutic Riding School. Freedom Reins is about the person on the horse and them achieving something maybe they couldn’t otherwise (without volunteers) and it was a chance to go way out of my comfort zone. The Dubois County Substance Abuse Council came about because someone said we need to do this and so we figured it out. Sometimes I help get something started and then when it gets up and going and then I back away.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
I enjoy spending time with my husband, playing with the grandkids, being with our family, keeping up with current events and planting flowers. I like reading, doing crossword puzzles and watching “Jeopardy!”
What was the best advice someone ever gave you?
My mom always told us to treat everyone as you would want to be treated. I feel this is an important philosophy to live by and the way I strive to live my life.