Lutomski hired as Chamber of Commerce manager

The Petersburg Chamber of Commerce board of directors knew exactly what to do when faced with finding a new administrative manager. They contacted Mara Lutomski. She had shown prior interest in the position and the board thought of her as a qualified replacement for John Havrilek, who recently retired from the position.

"We had about three days together," she says laughing of training with Havrilek. "He showed me the ropes. It is basically a self-starter position."

Lutomski is currently in her third week on the job and taking over right as the busy season is kicking off, with Mayfest, the Salmon Derby and the Fourth of July, right around the corner. Her responsibilities include helping to plan and coordinate the three events and sitting on their individual committees. Her degree in organizational communications from Xavier University in Ohio is exactly what was needed.

She looks at this year as a period of preparation and working out any kinks so she can contribute even more to the local festivals next year. Lutomski also spends time coaching Little League and currently sits on the school board. The chamber position should be a perfect fit into her already busy schedule because it will taper off toward the end of summer and during winter months, allowing her to focus on her family and other obligations before picking back up next spring.

"My family is all for it. My husband has always told me that I should be happy in the job and not just have a job that I'm doing," she says. "I didn't want to just jump into any job."

Lutomski's goal right now is to get through three successful festivals, then dive into educating members and potential members about all the benefits of Chamber of Commerce membership. One example, is being an advocate for local businesses and helping them grow and

contribute to the business community.

Chamber of Commerce hours are generally 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., but her busy schedule might have her in and out of the office during those hours. Anyone interested can call 772-3646 or email her at pcoc@alaskan.com.