Business Connection Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce
Jason Gentemann and Foster Farms hosted our May Business After Hours and celebrated 25 years in Kelso
Gentemann set to lead Chamber board
H
iring a new Chamber CEO is “job number one” says incoming President Jason Gentemann.
k January 2024
Volume 16 • Issue 1 Business Connection is published monthly by the Kelso Longview Chamber of Commerce 105 N. Minor Road • Kelso, WA 98626
STAFF
Karen Sisson, Interim CEO Pam Fierst, Project Manager Ella Tiefenthal, Bookkeeper, Office Manager, Social Media
Gentemann, who is stepping into the leadership position behind the departure of Marlene Johanson, said the Chamber has been fortunate to have the strong leadership of Bill Marcum, who served as CEO for more than a decade, and thankful to have Karen Sisson step in as interim CEO for the past 10 months. “This has given us time for a thorough search Jason Gentemann Marlene Johanson for the next CEO of the Chamber,” Gentemann 2024 Chamber President 2023 President wrote in a series of questions posed for this article. “I am confident that we will hire the Chamber’s next great leader in the first half of 2024. In the second half of the year, my expectation is that we grow our membership, clearly define our value proposition to local businesses and continue to promote our great community.”
k CONTACT US
360-423-8400 kelsolongviewchamber.org To advertise, call Pam Fierst 360-423-8400 or pfierst@kelsolongviewchamber.org Ad Deadline 20th of Each Month
Gentemann and Foster Farms, where he serves as manager, have deep ties to the community. He and his wife hail from Oregon and are Oregon State University graduates. Gentemann started with Foster Farms in 1997, working his way up from an entry level, trainee job to management. After eight years with the company in Arkansas and Indiana, he returned to the Northwest and moved to Washington in 2019 to manage Foster Farm’s Pacific Northwest operations including the Kelso chicken processing plant. A Foster Farms representative has been on the Chamber board for many years and Gentemann, who also serves on the Food Northwest and Northwest Chicken Council boards, believes that relationship is critical. “The work the Chamber does to advocate for local business in government affairs, promoting the community and tourism and educating its members of potential impacts on our business is very important,” he said. “As the manager of a large company in Kelso I feel I need to be involved.” For more 2024 Chamber, see page 3