New CEO is 'raising the game' for Port Orange South Daytona Chamber. Here's how.

PORT ORANGE ― The Port Orange South Daytona Chamber of Commerce's board of directors knew they had big shoes to fill when immensely popular longtime CEO Debbie Connors retired after 22 years a little over a year ago.

After their initial hire didn't pan out, the board scrambled to conduct a new candidate search that resulted in tapping Barbara Ann Heegan for the job. Her resume includes stints as CEO for chambers in South Carolina and upstate New York.

How has she done so far?

Heegan began May 1, 2023. She has quickly made an impact by introducing new programs and becoming a nearly ubiquitous presence at community events throughout east Volusia County.

"When you see how hard she's working, she not only earns your respect, it pushes the rest of us to elevate our game as well," said Michael Agri, this year's chamber board chair.

Daytona Beach Shores Mayor Nancy Miller concurs. "Barbara Ann is everywhere," she said.

The chamber has seen its membership ranks grow to 670, up from 660 a year ago.

The chamber recently held its annual Mayors' Breakfast at The Shores Resort & Spa in Daytona Beach Shores. The event included the presentation of Hometown Heroes awards to police officers and firefighters from the communities the chamber represents: the cities of Port Orange, South Daytona and Daytona Beach Shores and the town of Ponce Inlet.

The event drew 140 people. It included state-of-the-community reports from Miller, Port Orange Mayor Don Burnette, South Daytona Mayor Bill Hall, and for the first time ever Ponce Inlet Mayor Lois Paritsky.

What are the chamber's new initiatives?

The chamber's new programs include a Coffee & Connections networking event on the last Thursday of every month, 8:30 a.m. at Copperline Coffee at The Pavilion at Port Orange shopping center, and a new quarterly Power Networking Luncheon featuring guest speakers on issues affecting businesses.

The next luncheon will be on April 11, noon to 1:30 p.m. at Riverside Pavilion in Port Orange. The topic: the opioid epidemic in the workplace. The speakers will be Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood and Karen Chrapek, executive director of the Volusia Recovery Alliance. The cost to attend is $25 per person.

The chamber has begun working with cities to put on job fairs. It recently held a "Career and College Expo" at Spruce Creek High School in Port Orange that drew over 800 students. The next job fair will be on May 16 at the Port Orange Recreation Center.

"We see businesses need employees everywhere and what better way for a graduating (high school) senior to build up their resume, but to get work experience from so many sectors that are hiring immediately to fill their workforce needs?," said Heegan.

The chamber also recently formed a new partnership with SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives). which will establish a satellite office within the chamber's offices at Riverside Pavilion to offer small business seminars and one-on-one mentoring.

"Barbara Ann has done a great job of reaching out to our cities to work with them on holding job fairs and other events," said Agri. "She's helped us become closer with our local governments and we're doing more programs than we've ever done before."

How else has she gotten involved?

Heegan is involved in the community on her own time, too. She joined the Port Orange South Daytona Rotary Club and has become an honorary member of Port Orange Elks Lodge 2723. She recently graduated from the Volusia County Citizens Academy and is now enrolled in the Port Orange University program to learn more about how the local government there operates.

Heegan said she wants to become "an informed advocate and champion" for the community.

What's her vision for the chamber?

Heegan views chambers of commerce as the "front door" to the cities and towns they serve. "I always want people to feel like they are home, that they are cared about, listened to and that businesses know we have their back by collaborating, developing and advocating for them everyday," she said.

What compelled her to take the job?

Heegan said she applied for the job with the Port Orange South Daytona Chamber in part because of her longtime friendship with Nancy Keefer, CEO of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce.

The two met more than a decade ago when both were chamber executives in the Northeast.

"She (Keefer) was working for a chamber outside of Philadelphia where I have family and I knew it was a thriving chamber," Heegan recalled.

Prior to becoming CEO of the Daytona Regional Chamber in 2013, Keefer led the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

"She gave me contacts and resources to be successful during my tenure in New York," said Heegan. "I admire Nancy Keefer tremendously as a passionate and influential leader and one of the best chamber executives in the country."

When asked about Heegan, Keefer said, "Barbara Ann brings a great deal of chamber experience to her role as the CEO of the (Port Orange South Daytona) chamber. Her access to chamber peers in the industry will also be an asset as she looks for best practices and innovative ideas to lead the chamber with her dedicated board of directors."

Who else is on the chamber staff?

Heegan in January added another experienced chamber executive to her team by hiring Samuel Ruiz as director of operations. He was previously director of business development for the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce in Brevard County. Before that, he was membership director at the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce in St. Augustine.

She also hired Heather Pastor last September as member services and communications coordinator. Pastor was previously director of gallery operations at The Hub on Canal Street in downtown New Smyrna Beach.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: New CEO is 'raising the game' for Port Orange South Daytona Chamber