DePasquale to succeed Carlson at helm of Estes Chamber

ESTES PARK — Two of Estes Park’s primary business-promotion entities will have Florida transplants at their helms.

Colleen DePasquale, who has been president and chief executive of the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and its nonprofit foundation for 11 years and once worked at a hotel in Russia, will take over as executive director of the Estes Chamber of Commerce effective May 23, the chamber’s board determined Monday.

In March 2021, Visit Estes Park hired Kara Franker as chief executive. She had been senior vice president for marketing and communications for Visit Lauderdale in Broward County, Florida.

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DePasquale succeeds Donna Carlson, who has led the revitalized Estes Chamber for two years but decided this year that the commute between Estes and her family in Colorado Springs was taking too much of a toll. During her tenure in Estes, she increased chamber membership by 300%, implemented a supplier-attraction program and launched a lead-generation and referral system. Her last day in the Estes Park post will be May 7, and she’ll start May 16 as vice president for membership at the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce and its Economic Development Commission.

“I pride myself on having strong communication and leadership skills and being a convener to help members and the community continue their growth,” said DePasquale in an Estes chamber news release. “I’m excited about this opportunity to bring my passion for business to the mountains that I love.”

DePasquale had led the Fort Myers chamber since 2011. For 11 years before that, she had overseen three hotel brands in the Fort Myers area as general manager of McKibbon Hotel Management. From October 1997 to August 1999, she directed front-office operations at the Marriott Moscow Grand in the Russian capital. She earned a bachelor’s degree in hospitality administration from East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania in 1986.

“This marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Estes chamber, and Colleen brings a wealth of experience in leading a large chamber of commerce,” said Carissa Streib, who chairs the Estes chamber’s board of directors. “With her experience and leadership, we are excited about building on the momentum.

“We have established a strong reputation of advocacy and support” under Carlson’s leadership,” Streib said, “and we wish her the best in her new endeavors.”

The Estes Chamber of Commerce was newly formed May 2019.