Southern Indiana Business Report
JASPER – With a background in community development and engagement, Angie Sanchez-Hostetter is excited about her new role as executive director of the Dubois County Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber touted her experience in nonprofit, marketing and community engagement roles at organizations including Crisis Connection in Jasper and Purdue Extension.
“We are thrilled to welcome Angie as our new executive director,” Chamber Board President Amy Gehlhausen said in a news release. “Her passion for community development and her exceptional leadership skills will, undoubtedly, drive the Chamber’s mission forward.”
Sanchez-Hostetter spoke with Southern Indiana Business Report about the Dubois County Chamber of Commerce and some of her goals as executive director.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
“I’m really excited to get out and meet a lot of businesses. I’m a former small business owner, so I feel I have a unique perspective to help other small businesses and create those relationships. I don’t feel like you can really help someone until you know what they need help with. I’m also looking forward to working with groups such as Dubois Strong on lunch and learns or workshops.”
You’re very involved with community development, why is that important to you and what projects have you been involved with?
“We hear a lot these days about quality of place and we know people tend to live near activities they like. I’m part of the Next Act, a nonprofit group that bought the Astra Theater in downtown Jasper. With the theater renovated, we’re focused on bringing shows to the theater so people have things to do. It’s a group I’m happy to be a part of and to be part of bringing back some night life to downtown.”
What is the role of the Dubois County Chamber?
“The reason we made a Dubois County Chamber was to unite the communities in Dubois County. We have a really rich history of business development here and supporting our businesses. It’s easy for the State or even a large corporation to dismiss our communities as being too small, Huntingburg only has 6,500 people, or Jasper has about 17,000 but as a whole, Dubois County has 43,500 people. That has a much larger impact. Let’s tout that we are small close-knit communities that work together for everyone’s benefit.
The biggest challenge we have is finding employees. The employment rate is about 3%. We want new businesses but we need people to work at those new businesses.”
What are some of the Chamber’s events or activities?
“Coming up April 26, we have the Garden Gate Festival. It’s a jazz and wine fest in Huntingburg and we’re very excited about that. We also have a chamber annual meeting with a luncheon and awards presentation.”
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
“My husband would say I’m a chronic volunteer. I’m a member of Crisis Connection, which is a violence prevention organization. As a mom of kids in high school, I spend a lot of time with their sports and activities and we own a farm, so I enjoy gardening and raising chickens.”
Sanchez-Hostetter’s first day at the chamber was March 10. The chamber director position is part time; she also works at Purdue Extension Dubois County, where she handles marketing.