George Althoff Executive Director | Baraboo Chamber of Commerce
George Althoff Executive Director | Baraboo Chamber of Commerce
Three positions on the Baraboo Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors will be up for election in 2026. The seats include an At-Large position, a Retail representative, and a Village of West Baraboo hotelier seat.
The At-Large position is currently held by Tony Jaynes of Wegner CPAs. He has served two consecutive terms and is not eligible for re-election. The role is open to representatives from any Chamber member in one of six membership classifications: Agribusiness, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Professional, Retail, or Tourism.
Jason Grossenbacher, Manager of Festival Foods, currently holds the Retail seat and is eligible for re-election. This position is open to any representative from a Chamber member in the Retail classification.
The Village of West Baraboo hotelier position is now held by Tom Patel of the Best Western Baraboo Inn. Like Jaynes, Patel has reached his term limit and cannot seek re-election. To qualify for this seat, candidates must be employed by a Chamber member lodging establishment that collects room tax revenue in the Village of West Baraboo.
According to George Althoff, Executive Director: "The 11-member Board of Directors is the governing body of the Chamber and works with the Executive Director to set priorities for the organization. Per our bylaws, the board is comprised of directors representing Agribusiness, Financial Services, Manufacturing, Professional, Retail, and Tourism; the City of Baraboo hotel industry; the Village of West Baraboo hotel industry; the Ho-Chunk Nation; and two At-Large directors."
Directors are expected to attend monthly board meetings and serve on at least one standing committee. They are also encouraged to participate in events such as the annual dinner, golf outing, Oktoberfest celebration and monthly Business After 5 networking sessions.
Those interested in being considered for one of these three board positions should complete a nomination form and send it to George Althoff at director@baraboochamber.com by Friday, Nov. 7. Questions can be directed via email or phone at 608-356-8333. The Board will approve all eligible candidates at its November meeting before sending ballots to voting members within three business days.
In addition to election news, Althoff expressed appreciation for those involved in making Oktoberfest successful: "Our 4th annual Oktoberfest was another great success, with nearly 500 people partaking in the event. There are many people to thank for that, including our Fest Royalty Pete and Rebecca Oettinger, the food and beverage vendors, Circus World staff, dozens of volunteers, and the members of our Tourism Committee – Shelley Mordini, Julie Hearley, Nellie Schmitz and Crystal Stonefish. A special shoutout to Suzanne Covoloskie and her cohorts who once again performed flawlessly as masters of the biergarten. See you all next year!"
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