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Leading Locally: Steve Latour Assumes Executive Director with Westfield Chamber
WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 116 E Main Street Westfield, IN 46074 (317) 804-3030 westfield-chamber.org
Writer / Matt Keating Photography Provided
Steve Latour, the new executive director of the Westfield Chamber of Commerce, feels the experience gained from his various professional positions has helped to prepare him for his new role.
“I have my position as the chief housing officer of the CLVEN National House Corporation,” Latour says. “I was responsible for over 40 properties, over 800 residents, and more than $20 million in owned and managed assets. We provide student housing for members of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, a collegiate men’s membership organization that is the nation’s tenth oldest collegiate fraternity.”
Some of Latour’s notable accomplishments at CLVEN include leading the property acquisition process, adding 24 owned, managed and affiliated properties, and increasing annual revenue from $2 million to more than $10 million. Latour also developed and implemented the first-ever, organization-wide strategic plan with the board of directors, professionalized all day-to-day operations, and implemented online leasing, rent collection, work orders and accounting.
Latour also served as the CEO for the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and as the startup CEO of the WPN National Housing Company, which provides housing for Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity chapters across the country .
Latour has big plans for the Westfield Chamber of Commerce.
“At our core, I believe the Westfield Chamber of Commerce exists to promote all that is good about Westfield by fostering a prosperous business environment that drives commerce, promotes our community, and seeks to empower our members,” Latour says. “It is no secret that successful and thriving businesses rely on healthy neighborhoods, top-notch schools, and residents who are so in love with the community and all that we have to offer - the kind of residents that cannot wait to bring others to town to share why Westfield is so special.”
Latour believes the Chamber’s role as an ambassador for the City of Westfield is fundamental to the success of the area.
“Perhaps our most important responsibility is to give our members every advantage to be successful in reaching and exceeding their goals,” he says. “We can accomplish our reason for being by serving, protecting and promoting our members through advocacy, education, information, marketing, networking programs and
activities. We have a responsibility to make sure our members find value in their membership that it is worthy of their investment of time, talent and treasure. Many of our members are now faced with great adversity and will have many more challenges to come.”
Latour stresses the importance of supporting Chamber members during the challenges many businesses face due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“How we support [members] through today’s unexpected and changing business environment will define our success as a Chamber of Commerce for the next decade,” Latour says.
In college, Latour says he had the about them, hear how we have helped, opportunity to see Maya Angelou speak on and understand where we can do better. his campus. What she said has continued to In recognition of the Black Lives Matter inspire him. movement, I also want to listen to ideas “She said, ‘If you do not know where you have community to address and support social come from, you do not know where you are and racial injustice. I am a researcher at going,’” Latour says. “As executive director, I heart, so spending this time to meet with will have the enormous task of keeping the our members, volunteers and staff will help car driving down the road at 70 miles per educate me on our path forward.” hour while trying to change the tire.” Latour has already identified some key relationships. areas where he plans to focus his attention. on how the Chamber can work with the Latour also wants to strengthen local “I want to work to ensure that our “I want to engage stakeholders,” he says. relationships with city, county and state “Within 90 days, I want to meet one-on-one officials, as well as key stakeholders with each board member, staff member and and donors, are on a solid foundation,” member of the Chamber. I want to learn Latour says. “I also want to review our 22592 EMBGMC_Zionsville.ai 1 8/29/18 10:32 AM22592 EMBGMC_Zionsville.ai 1 8/29/18 10:32 AM
communications plan, engagement statistics, style guide and brand standards to ensure that we are reaching our members with the information they need and expect from the Chamber.”
Latour is also focusing on what he calls a high-velocity culture change.
“We find ourselves with the opportunity and moment to implement the kind of change that is going to give the Chamber a competitive edge in today’s rapidly changing marketplace,” he says. “Together we can ensure that the Chamber emerges in the next few years as one of the reasons our businesses, and their leaders and staffs, are so successful. If we can share in their success, then the opportunities ahead of us are limitless.”
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