Ken Oplinger currently serves as the President/CEO of the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry, where he has been since October 2003. He has been leading Chambers of Commerce in the Western US for over 16 years, 10 of those years in California.
Ken is a graduate of Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, where he received a BA in Political Science and Spanish. Ken is also a graduate of the Institute for Organizational Management at UCLA. He is a Past President of SUPERCHEX, the Chamber Executives organization representing Northern California Chamber Executives and served as the Chairman of the Board of WACE, the Western Association of Chamber Executives, in 2006. Ken is an Accredited Chamber Executive, having received his accreditation in February 2003 from WACE, and was reaccredited in 2008. Ken currently serves as the co-chair of the BESTT Coalition (Business for Economic Security, Tourism and Trade), a bi-national coalition of business and industry concerned about the affects of implementing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) on the Canada/US Border. He currently serves as the Chair of the Planning Commission for the City of Blaine, WA.
Chris McCartan Business Manager
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Chris brings over 20 years of non-profit association management to the Chamber. She served 17 years as Administrator of Clean Sound Cooperative, Inc., whose mission was to prevent and clean up oil spills in Puget Sound. Prior to that, she was a Senior Associate in the Seattle company, Miller Hamick Partners, Inc., a firm involved in developing communication strategies for clients involved in public affairs. For 5 years, she served as a staff member at UW’s Institute for Marine Studies, a graduate school in marine policy and planning. She served on the Board of Directors for Waterfront Awareness, the non-profit group who founded Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center in Seattle. She is the mother of a grown daughter. She enjoys reading, hiking and collecting antiques.
Drew Graham Development Director
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If you listened to Whatcom County radio stations between 1993 and 2004, odds are good you’ve heard the voice of Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce & Industry Development Director Drew Graham. Drew has worked as both an on-air personality and sales representative for the Cascade Radio Group, primarily with KISM, 92.9FM. Following his radio career, Graham, a longtime Bellingham resident, opened his own business, Wannadance Mobile DJ Services and also earned his Washington Real Estate license in 2005. He has been married to wife Kerry for more than 12 years, and together they have a 9 year-old son.
Sheila Connors Marketing & Events Director
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Since she was in the 6th grade selling her Amah’s chocolate chip cookies to fellow classmates, Sheila Connors has always been in Sales. Graduating from Northern Arizona University with a BSBA in Marketing seemed like the perfect fit. Working for hotel chains such as Holiday Inn, Red Lion, and DoubleTree, she was able to build up her sales experience. Once Sheila got into catering and event planning she found her niche. While attending University of Phoenix in pursuit of her Masters of Arts in Organizational Management she was recruited by Resort Semiahmoo as their Director of Catering and Conference Services. She and her daughter Kimberly made the move to Whatcom County. She then became the Catering Director at Western Washington University. With more than 20 years of conference and catering experience it just seemed to be a perfect fit for her current role as Marketing & Events Director for the Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce. Sheila currently resides in Blaine and has a 5 year old granddaughter Mackenzie that keeps her in awe daily.
Mel Monkelis Ski to Sea Coordinator
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Mel Monkelis has over twenty years of experience with professional associations and training organizations. He presently coordinates the Ski to Sea, the biggest community event each year in Whatcom County. While in Colorado, he managed a team that expanded the membership by nearly sixty percent of a national professional association. In Washington, he worked with several partners in the employment and training field, including the Northwest Workforce Development Council, Whatcom Community College, and Employment Security. He helped lead the state in moving its employment and training resources to the internet in the mid 1990's. His favorite saying is "It's amazing what you can accomplish if you don't mind who gets the credit." He has a B.S. degree along with course work in his Master's program in Human Relations and Organizational Management. His present interests include trails in Whatcom County, reducing one's carbon footprint, and gardening with native vegetation.
Haley Kensok Communications / Information
Specialist
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Most likely when you call or stop by the Chamber offices, you will be greeted by the newest member of the Chamber staff, Haley Kensok. As Information and Community Specialist, Haley aids in member and community support through online, in-person and phone communications, as well as assists in the daily workings of the Chamber. Haley is an active member of WYPs and strives in creating strong local relationships. She is originally from Spokane and attended Spokane Community College. While still in high school, she received her Associate in Arts degree, with an emphasis in business, from SFCC. Professionally, she has been involved in various forms of customer service since she was in 16 with management positions in restaurant as well as medical office settings. She and her husband are busy enjoying what the westside of the Cascades has to offer as far as outdoor adventures. Haley is very excited to be a part of the Chamber family and hopes you all get the opportunity meet her if you haven’t already!
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