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The same sentiment was echoed by members of JohnsonÐÔÊӽ紫ý staff.

“I’m not sure gender comes into play for me, personally,� Chamber Director of Finance and Administration Nichol Linn said. “I want to come in, do a good job, and go from there. I don’t really think about us being an all-female staff.�

Progress and challenges

Gender isn’t in the forefront of how the local chamber operates on a daily basis, but Johnson said she certainly appreciates the fact that more females are involved — not just on her staff, but also on the Chamber Board of Directors in recent years.

“We’ve made great progress, even more so over the last 10 years than the years prior, as it relates to empowering the female sector of our membership, and our board positions,� Johnson said.

Progress doesn’t come without challenges, however.

“I think there are challenges there,� Johnson said, speaking of a still largely male-dominated business and industrial world.

Female-owned businesses

Though some challenges still exist, Johnson said being an all-female staff isn’t something that stops her team from making an impact in the community, especially where it relates to female-owned business. And Gordon County has a lot of those.

“We do have a lot,� Johnson said. “There are more than people probably realize.�

With specialized resources available to those businesses, Johnson says her team works hard to educate and advocate in that area.

“We try really hard to keep up to date on what resources are available, and I think we bring those resources to bear in helping our female business owners,â€� Johnson said. “I think thereÐÔÊӽ紫ý a great opportunity to grow more, and help even more of them.â€�

Even help is sometimes met with resistance. Johnson recalled one particular female-owned business that was skeptical, but wanted — and ultimately received — help through special designation.

“Some of them are more receptive than others,â€� Johnson said. “Sometimes thereÐÔÊӽ紫ý some resistance to understanding and accepting some of the resources and taking advantage of those. We rallied and took all the resources, got some state incentives, and won that business owner over.â€�

Empowerment through understanding

The Gordon Chamber staff may be all women, but the multi-generational makeup allows for a level of understanding of life stages when it comes to work-life balance.

“Working here with a female staff … they all get it,� Linn said. “They all know, and they’ve all been there before.�

For each stage of motherhood and work tenure, there is a member of the Gordon Chamber staff who has been there, and understands what their colleague is going through. And the encouragement to find a good work-life balance starts at the top.

“I’ve always told them to put family first,� Johnson said. “Don’t miss the first, and don’t miss the last.�

That overtone creates an environment that helps the staff stay focused on work without ignoring obligations to their families.

“ItÐÔÊӽ紫ý more of a priority. We all understand each other,â€� Director of Membership Kim Gallman said.

Flexibility at work helps fuel the mothers at on the home front.

“As a mom with two younger kids still in school, Kathy is great about flexibility,� Linn said. “She says ‘don’t miss this, make sure you’re there for them,’ so I think having a female boss empowers us as moms to be present for our kids.�

Gallman said having worked at the Chamber for most of her adult daughterÐÔÊӽ紫ý life, she can look back on how her work environment helped her stay focused on all fronts.

“I came to work here when my daughter was 6, and sheÐÔÊӽ紫ý in college now, so we’re all in different seasons of life, and have been in each otherÐÔÊӽ紫ý shoes, so we want to all try and help, and make life easier for each other,â€� Gallman said. “If you can be a good mom, and you aren’t always worrying about your kids or feeling guilty, you can come here and get your work done better.â€�

Linn said knowing she has the understanding and support of the Chamber team in that area of her life has helped to change the way she chooses to be there for her kids.

“I now have a rule that I didn’t have before coming to work here: I now pick up on the first and last days of school, because Kathy encouraged me to start doing that,� Linn said. “I pick them up, and take them to do something. That was through her encouragement, so having a boss who is a mom and who has been there is what empowered me to do that.�

For Director of Communications Joni Harbin, her increased community involvement in recent years is made possible in part by an empty nest, a perspective she can lend to coworkers still behind her in life stages.

“My children are grown, and I don’t watch television,� Harbin said with a grin, when asked how she is involved in so many causes.

Passing it on

An increase in women throughout the world of business and industry isn’t by luck, and the women at the Gordon Chamber put in the work to keep that momentum going. And that effort doesn’t just draw the line at gender, but also with generations in mind.

“We’re trying to draw in and accommodate our older generation, while also attracting the younger folks — regardless of gender, so I’m not sure I am able to spend much time focusing on just a male or female audience,� Convention and Visitors Bureau Jill Repp said.

“I think with our younger people — our interns, work-based learning students, and young professionals — we’ve tried to create a priority of pouring into them to help strengthen their passion, and have tried hard to lead by example through understanding,� Johnson said.

Gallman said she takes great pride in passing on her experiences to the young people in the community.

“This job is very rewarding in that area, that you are giving back while doing your day-to-day job,� Gallman said. “It really comes full circle.�

The welcoming and friendly environment created by the chamber staff seems to keep younger members of the community coming back for more.

“We have a college intern this summer who is back for a fourth time, so I think we’re starting to see some of the younger people we’ve worked with choose to return to the community, and give back — which is my ultimate goal,� Johnson said.

Linn said her words to anyone in the next generation ready to get involved in the business world would be: “don’t let anything hold you back. If thereÐÔÊӽ紫ý something you want to do, go for it.â€�

A sense of fulfillment

In the end, Johnson said the Chamber staff often gets back much of what they give to the community.

“I think we all have a great sense of self fulfillment in what we’re doing, and in how we’re giving back to the community through the Chamber,� Johnson said. “We have a unique opportunity. We can either sit and watch things as they unfold in the community, or you can be part of those things, and help guide and direct things within the community.�

For more information about the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce, its mission, and upcoming events and programs, visit online, call 706-625-3200, or visit during regular business hours at 300 S. Wall St.