Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Huckshorn.
Hi Diane, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I actually wasn’t looking for a new job when the Executive Director position at the Belton Chamber of Commerce became available. I was working at the School District and serving on the Chamber Board as the Events Chair when the Director at the time had unexpectedly just moved on, and the Board asked me to apply for the position.
I started my career at the Belton School School District in 1990 in food service and eventually worked my way to the Administration Office, where I worked for the Deputy Superintendent. After 25 years however, I felt like it might be the right time for a change and a new chapter. So, after taking a few days to consider the Chamber’s offer, I accepted it and retired from the School District. Twelve years later, I can honestly say it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
While I was very happy working in the District and enjoyed the work I did, I have never been happier in my career than I have been since joining the Belton Chamber of Commerce in October 2014. I absolutely love what I do—the people, the businesses, the community, and the opportunity to make a difference. I often say I didn’t necessarily go looking for this job but somehow, it found me, and I’m incredibly grateful that it did. There are hard days, easy days, stressful days, proud days, and lots of fun days – but one thing I have never had is a day I didn’t want to go to work!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
When I started with the Belton Chamber in 2014, we were facing some significant challenges. The Chamber was struggling a bit financially, membership was low, events were nonexistent, and we didn’t have the professional presence or community visibility and support that we needed to be relevant and to succeed for both the Chamber and for our members.
I saw those challenges as an opportunity to rebuild and show our community the value of having a strong Chamber of Commerce willing to dig deep and work for our members the best we could. With dedication, a few prayers, personal help from some important mentors and a tremendous amount of support from our Board members and partners, we focused on strengthening our membership benefits, increasing our visibility, creating more opportunities for our members, and becoming a more active, professional and engaged part of the community.
One of the biggest tests came during the COVID-19 pandemic. While so much was uncertain everywhere, our office and our county remained open to be a resource for the business community. We were there every day—sharing the latest information, keeping up with changing guidelines and resources, answering questions, working with as many organizations as possible to connect our members with the much needed help they were looking for, and to be honest – sometimes it was as simple as offering a cup of coffee, a little time to visit, a smile with a pat on the back, a few words of encouragement, a lot of hope, and a shoulder to lean on.
I’m especially proud that even during those incredibly challenging years, our membership continued to grow and our community suffered very few business closures. We actually moved into a new office, added more events, formed new partnerships, continued to grow our list of membership benefits, and our budget increased. Today, I believe the Chamber is in a good place, both financially and professionally, with a much stronger presence in our community. It has taken years of relationship-building and collaboration, strong leadership and friendships, passion and compassion, foresight and vision, and flexibility and strength with ears to the ground, eyes to the future, and hearts wide open to get here but seeing where we are today is incredibly rewarding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Being a “people” person most certainly should be a requirement for any Chamber President/Director or staff position in my opinion. Connecting, listening, creativity, caring, resourcefulness, a sense of pride in community and a “can do” attitude are also essential to being successful especially in a nonprofit organization. I believe these qualities, along with the long time history (55+ years) I have lived in Belton are what I lean on most. Increased membership, more revenue, added value for members, a bigger presence in the community and being a trusted resource are accomplishments that I, my staff and board are all proud of. I am blessed to have worked with many wonderful leaders, mentors, and now friends throughout my time at the Belton Chamber. There are certain people, of course, that stand out more than others but they all played a pivotol role in my position here and I owe so many a huge thank you! I always remember the days of my parents building their own small business, the hard work and sacrifices they made to realize their success and I can appreciate the struggles of small business owners today. I’m proud to work together with our City and neighboring communities, and especially our school district. When I retire, I hope to leave knowing that I gave all I could to help make the Chamber and our community better.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I was born and raised in Grandview and had a typical midwest happy childhood full of elementary school skinned knees, neighborhood friends and bike rides till the street lights came on, and plenty of dreams. When I was 12, my family had a new home built and we moved to Belton. My twin sister and I both graduated from the Belton School District, and Belton has been my home for almost my entire life. College, marriage, buying our first home, raising our daughter, becoming grandparents, building careers, and so many other important milestones—all of those memories are rooted right here in this community.
I grew up watching my parents build a very successful business. He was a self-taught auctioneer who started his own business in Grandview, and our entire family was involved in it in one way or another until he eventually sold it and retired to the lake. Looking back, I realize now how much I learned simply by watching my mom and dad work to build a comfortable life. I learned the value of hard work, dedication, commitment, perseverance, and the importance of having the drive to succeed. I also learned what it really means to be an entrepreneur—to take an idea, work for it, believe in it, and build something of your own. At the time, I’m sure I didn’t fully appreciate how valuable those lessons were, but they have stayed with me throughout my adult life and have shaped the way I approach my work today.
Pricing:
- $100+
- $800
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.beltonmochamber.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/belton_chamber/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/belton.chamber.7/
