Chamber director brings experience and passion for community | Maple Valley and Black Diamond

Shortly after moving to the Puget Sound area, Erica Dial became the executive director of the Maple Valley Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce.

Dial and her family moved from Wisconsin after her husband’s job brought them to the West Coast. Prior to their move, Dial said she looked at the city of Maple Valley’s website and the chamber’s so she could become more familiar with the area.

In July while looking at the chamber’s website, she noticed it would soon be looking to fill the director position.

Days before their drive west, Dial said she applied for the job, and in September she was offered the position. She didn’t start until Nov. 2 after former director Sue VanRuff retired. VanRuff served as the chamber’s executive director since 2003.

She may be new to the area but Dial is no stranger to chambers. Dial worked for a total of six years with the Stoughton Chamber of Commerce.

“Chamber work isn’t new to me but this community is,” she said. “I loved my job back there, loved working for the chamber.”

Since starting her new position, Dial said she is “looking forward to learning more about the community and sharing the value of the chamber with the community.”

Dial said the role of the chamber is three fold: advocacy, promoting and networking.

The Maple Valley Black Diamond chamber works with the business community, she said, to provide networking opportunities. Allowing business leaders to connect with one another, she added.

“(We are) the glue that brings people together,” Dial said.

The chamber also works with people to help point them in the right direction or help them if they are facing a problem. She said, the chamber can be a great resource for business people in the community.

It also allows for businesses to broaden their networking.

“To me, (the chamber) really brings people together to help promote their businesses,” she said.

The chamber also works alongside the cities and holds events such as ribbon cuttings for new businesses in the area.

The chamber of commerce can also help the cities by sponsoring events.

“It’s really about being a good partner with the city and school districts,” she said. “All of us working together to make your community a good place to live, work and play.”

She added, the chamber is always a good place to get exposure while adding, the key is to have fun while doing it.

The Maple Valley Black Diamond chamber held its first meeting regarding a new Ambassador Club Tuesday.

Dial said typically ambassador programs “strive to build an exceptional community, advocate for a strong business climate and provide value to our members.”

The club would serve as a liaison, she said, between the chamber and its members.

“Some of the (clubs) activities might include occasional visits to new, prospective and existing members, assist the chamber in gaining a better understanding of members’ business needs and be the welcoming arm of the chamber at chamber functions,” Dial said.

Those who attended the first meeting received an invitation from the chamber.

But Dial added any member can become an ambassador.

Over the years, the idea behind a chamber of commerce hasn’t changed, Dial said.

But how chambers go about conducting business has changed slightly as technology changes.

“We’ve had to learn to be flexible,” she said. “We try something and if it doesn’t work out, we just have to move on.”

The goal is, Dial added, is to stay relevant.

The next event for the Maple Valley Black Diamond Chamber of Commerce is the Maple Valley Art Walk.

The art walk is scheduled for the first Wednesday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Wilderness Village in Maple Valley at the Taphouse, Ink, Full Circle Beauty Room, Style Lounge and DaVine.