The Monona East Side Business Alliance: Kristie Schilling announced as finalist for Executive of the Year award from Mid-America Chamber Executives

Contact: Kristie Schilling – Executive Director, Monona East Side Business Alliance

Phone: (608) 222-8565

Email: kschilling@mononaeastside.com

Monona, WI – The Mid-America Chamber Executives (MACE) has announced three finalists for their annual executive of the year award. Kristie Schilling, Executive Director of the Monona East Side Business Alliance (MESBA), has been declared one of the three award finalists.

Schilling will travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota for the annual MACE Conference May 2-4 where the award announcement and ceremony will be held on May 3. The other finalists include Tiffany Menke from the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce in Urbandale, Iowa and Karen Anderson from the Scottsdale/Gering United Chamber of Commerce located in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.

The executive of the year award is presented to a chamber executive who has demonstrated a vision, commitment and passion for the advancement of their chamber and community as a whole. The nominees in this category have proven to others that they are the “gold standard” in chamber leadership and are proven to have the vision for future chamber members to follow.

The nominees included executives from around the six state area and recognizes high-ranking chamber members for their giving spirit, many successes and humble attitude. While these leaders take an active role in their communities, they are well respected among their peers, serve on many community boards, and give a helping hand whenever needed. MACE serves chambers of commerce in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

“I’m deeply honored to be considered for the executive of the year award. While I’m committed to working tirelessly to promote my community and my members, it’s not something I do for awards or accolades. As I always say, this isn’t the type of job you choose, it calls out to you—it chooses you. Chamber executives are people who love, and live, to help others. And that is simply who I am,” Schilling states.

Schilling started in her role as Executive Director with the Monona Chamber of Commerce in July 2014. Six months in, she led the rebranding of the organization to the Monona East Side Business Alliance (MESBA), doubled the membership in 18 months, revamped all of the programs to better serve the members, launched an annual community magazine to promote the community, established MESBA as an economic engine serving the Monona East Side community, and has grown the membership to 400 members.

The Monona East Side Business Alliance (MESBA) is a not for profit business collective that works to promote commerce and the community for the area’s overall prosperity. MESBA is a private, not for profit, membership-driven organization comprised of approximately 400 organizations. For more information, visit http://mononaeastside.com or contact Kristie Schilling, Executive Director of the Monona East Side Business Alliance, at (608) 222-8565 or kschilling@mononaeastside.com.