Palmer chamber gets new director

EOWYN LeMAY IVEY-Frontiersman reporter

The Palmer Chamber of Commerce has a new executive director.

A hiring committee recently selected Gene Jansen to head up the chamber, which operates the Palmer Visitor Center and gift shop, organizes events such as Colony Christmas and aims to promote Palmer businesses.

Jansen officially moved in to his office at the Palmer Visitor Center last week and said he is still getting settled in and answering the dozens of e-mails that had piled up.

Jansen lives in the Lazy Mountain area with his wife and two children. Before becoming executive director, he was working as a substitute teacher in the Mat-Su Borough School District. His past work experience also includes sports editor and reporter at the Frontiersman, public information officer with the federal court system and studio and stock photographer. He is a Chugiak High School and University of Alaska Anchorage graduate.

Jansen said his communications work and experience in the tourism industry as a photographer should help him in his new role.

"I knew I fit some of the needs they had," Jansen said of the chamber.

One of the issues Jansen expects to address as executive director is the state's closure of local parks. Jansen said the chamber recently passed a resolution in support of reopening the parks, and he said he will continue ongoing efforts to lobby the governor and Legislature to identify funds for them.

He said he feels Alaska State Parks are important to the welfare of businesses in the Palmer area.

Jansen said he is also interested in taking a closer look at the Palmer Chamber of Commerce's Website.

"Some of the information on it is outdated," Jansen said. He said he was looking forward to updating it and perhaps redesigning its appearance.