New chamber president's mission is to market to bigger area

BELOIT — The Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce didn’t have to look far for its new president and CEO.

On Thursday, the chamber announced that Kari Swirth, Irontek community manager, will be the new president. Swirth’s current office is two doors down from the chamber offices in Irontek building.

“(Former chamber president) Aimee (Thurner) and I had some previous conversations about just where do I see myself going,” said Swirth, who began working for Irontek, a Hendricks Commercial Properties business, in 2019. “I’m from Eau Claire, and I was thinking of moving back home because my mom is in assisted living. But once this opportunity came up, I couldn’t say no.”

Her role as community manager at Irontek included member retention, making sure the professionals using the co-working space were happy and growing their businesses, as well as recruiting and signing new members. Her job with the chamber “is kind of the same mission, but instead of growing membership for a location, I’ll be working for a region.”

Swirth, who will begin her leadership role with the chamber on June 16, lives in Beloit and already had several connections to the chamber. She’s served on the chamber’s civic affairs committee, investor engagement committee, is a past member of the chamber’s board of directors and led the organization’s Rising Professionals program, helping identify and elevate emerging leaders.

Thurner worked for the chamber for nearly 23 years. She became CEO in 2017. Thurner announced in April she would be leaving the chamber to join the United Way Blackhawk Region as resource development director. Her last day with the chamber was May 22.
The chamber has about 375 members.