Ann Hutchison has key plans as chamber executive

FORT COLLINS — Fort Collins native Ann Hutchison considers herself to be in “a pretty special spot” as the future advocate for the members and larger community of the Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce.

“I just have such tremendous appreciation for the businesses in our community,” said Hutchison, certified association advocate, CAE, and president and chief executive officer of the chamber, effective Jan. 1, 2021. “Business owners and business leaders are passionate about creating an amazing community. To have the opportunity to serve those people in a different way is exciting.”

Hutchison is replacing David May, who will retire at the end of the year after serving the organization since 2003 and working with chambers of commerce since the early 1980s.

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That same year, Hutchison joined the organization as the policy committee coordinator, a position she held until 2005, when she became executive vice president. In the two roles, she managed the communications and event departments, helped with the chamber’s daily operations and managed issues and political advocacy.

“Those experiences have given me a well-rounded exposure to all things chamber,” Hutchison said, adding that May had an open-door policy and invited Hutchison to meetings and events as he led the organization. “Having a strong foundation in community building, advocacy and events and being a representative of the business community has set me up to lead the organization.”

Hutchison plans to continue building on the foundation May has created for the chamber.

“David May has created a foundation that makes this chamber the envy of Northern Colorado,” Hutchison said. “My first goal is to take good care of that.”

Hutchison has a different style than May’s that she will employ as she leads the chamber, while also retaining what May has started, she said.

May developed Northern Colorado Prospers, a 5-year initiative focused on improving I-25, creating “a bold base for business,” making sure Northern Colorado has the workforce talent to serve industry in the area, and connecting with employers to ensure they have what they need to sustain and grow their businesses. The program will be in year five in 2021.

“It’s a program we asked people to provide funding for to support the big issues important to the community,” Hutchison said. “We will be going out to the community during 2021 to see if they will invest in another fundraising effort. The goals are very similar but will have some variance. It will continue to be Northern Colorado Prospers.”

Hutchison has additional key priorities for 2021, including keeping the organization’s membership whole and connecting with area businesses to promote the advantages of being part of the chamber. She plans to spend her first 90 days reaching out to members, making phone calls, inviting members to Zoom chats and being available to listen to what they have to say. She also will invite members to various online events and to 12 at 12, which focuses on a specific topic and what’s happening with the organization, plus giving business leaders an opportunity to provide input in a smaller setting.

Nick Haws, board chairman of the chamber and president and CEO of Northern Engineering in Fort Collins, finds that Hutchison’s creativity, energy and ideas will lead to new options for membership.

“This could be particularly applicable to the businesses hit hardest by the pandemic that are still trying to rebound, as well as groups traditionally marginalized or underrepresented,” Haws said. “Ann’s passion for this community is palpable, and what better way to strengthen community and sustain our quality of life than through a healthy business climate? Ann fully understands this connection, and I know she is all-in when it comes to building better community through business.”

Hutchison “is great at connecting dots and connecting people,” May said.

“To be a good leader, it can’t be about you. The focus needs to be on others. Ann will bring that, along with a remarkable work ethic and creativity assembling resources and teams,” May said. “One of the roles of the chamber is to influence public policymakers on behalf of a good business climate. Ann’s advocacy for business will be more positive and constructive than mine when it comes to government. While appreciating the strengths and limitations of government, she is a good balance of skeptic and partner.”

As a business advocate, Hutchison will listen to what businesses need and strive to meet those needs by talking with government officials and helping create solutions to the challenges they face, she said.

“That’s the heart of what we are as an organization,” Hutchison said. “Business people are busy trying to get the job done. They don’t have time to keep track of what’s happening at city hall and HR law. Chambers end up being key leaders to share information in key ways, taking on what business people don’t have time for.”

The chamber has events that are open to the larger public and opportunities for community members to give their input through outlets such as social media and the chamber’s website. Hutchison also is available for one-on-one conversations.

“When you work for the chamber, you have this amazing opportunity to be at the front of stage learning from the best of our community, whether that’s government, whether that’s business owners, whether that’s Colorado State,” she said. “We really get to spend time celebrating businesses and learning from them while creating community.”

Before coming to the chamber, Hutchison earned a double major in 1991 in speech communication/journalism and mass communications from the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. She served as a county extension agent for 4-H in Finney County, Kansas, until 1996, where she learned leadership and organizational skills and how to build a community (she also was a 4-H member for 10 years). She then became the marketing coordinator for Lewis, Hooper & Dick LLC, a regional CPA firm in Garden City, Kansas, staying there until 2003.

Hutchison lives with her sister, Robyn, and alongside their father, Ken, they are avid supporters of CSU sports teams and other educational and community initiatives. Hutchison wanted to move back to Colorado in the 2000s and felt fortunate that the position opened up at the chamber.

“It’s just a special place. The people are generous. The business leaders are creative. We have CSU,” Hutchison said. “It really is that diamond in the rough that so many people don’t know about.”

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Ann Hutchison was a 2013 Women of Distinction Honoree. Click here to read her profile.