Two Women, Countless Roles: The Faces of Chadron’s Community Work
Imagine a bustling workplace. People laugh at the water cooler, typing in cubicles, and wearing the same role “costume” each day. Now forget that and imagine a two-person office with an invisible closet. Phones constantly ring, and the doorbell is in everlasting use. Each person runs an entire agency by themselves with the need for costume changes all day. That’s the office of the Chadron Chamber of Commerce and Discover Northwest Nebraska.
Gabby Kreis and Kerri Rempp understand the bustle of constantly changing costumes. Kreis and Rempp shared their journey of both being executive directors in non-traditional workplaces. “There is never a dull moment here,” Kreis said. The Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to encourage and promote a vibrant local economy by acting as a voice and advocate for the community. Alongside the chamber, Discover NW Nebraska is promoting the region to potential visitors to spend time here. As Eagles continue to soar at CSC, these Chadron leaders share insights on entering the workforce and managing multiple roles.
One of Kreis’s many costumes she puts on is being a public relations and advertising specialist. With experience doing public relations at a ski resort in Colorado, she isn’t scared to pull up her bootstraps and be the face of the Chadron Chamber of Commerce. And because the chamber is not for-profit, she is in a very public-facing position that serves many different people and demographics. Kreis pours her heart and soul into the community by connecting with all the members of the chamber. This includes keeping up on current events to share in their newsletter, social media, and website. As 55% of her work is PR, she had an important piece of advice for all the PR and public-facing students. “Everybody has their breaking point… You’re not going to make it if you let those things hit you.”
In the invisible closet, hanging next to Kreis’s PR costume, is Rempp’s. Public relations is a dominant force in her job, requiring her to slip this costume on often. After taking a member’s phone call, Rempp shared how she does PR and advertising in her job. “I go to travel shows and talk to people, one-on-one, about why they should come here,” she said. Along with these, her costume equips her for writing monthly newsletters, a local radio show, along TV, social media, and Google display advertising. Luckily, her 20 years of experience in journalism and working for community papers have made some of these tasks a breeze.
After describing her busy routine, Kreis reflected on how she maintains balance amid constant demands. “I don’t live to work; I work to live,” said Kreis when asked about work-life balance. For seven days, Kreis changed her costumes with no break. Serving the community with her heart and soul. Though the next thing she knows, she’s on a flight to a sunny vacation with her phone on silent. And to ensure she can get her tan on without distractions, Kreis leaves detailed notes and instructions for her board and community members. And if there is a crisis when she’s gone, Kreis knows it’s not the end of the world. It can be handled when she comes back with a fresh and relaxed mind.
Rempp has a different approach to a work-life balance. Since her little birds have flown off to their futures, leaving her an empty nester, Rempp can take a phone call without guilt at home. She won’t be answering emails, but her volunteer costume reminds her that those working on events and programs within our community are volunteers who are doing things during non-work hours. Rempp also remarked that these phone calls take only five minutes here and ten minutes there, making them an easy task to tackle. She still loves to feel the wind in her hair while horseback riding or to soak up the sun on her porch with a good book. So, she still finds the time each week for the things that fill her bucket.
“If there is a will, there is a way,” Kreis said with Rempp in full agreement. Both ladies have experienced doubtful situations that fuel their fire. For Kreis, that is being told a project is impossible or that she won’t find the money. Her fire ignites, and she is home all night looking for grants and volunteers to make projects, like Art Alley, happen. Rempp feels that fire when she is doing the more menial tasks, like grant writing and paperwork, knowing these little jobs have gained her the trust to execute bigger projects. “Be willing to do anything. Don’t get stuck on the parts you don’t like,” Rempp said.
“Remember, this is your region now, too. Get off campus and go explore where you are living,” Rempp remarks with her travel guide costume on, ensembled with a graduation cap. She reminisced about college and knew how important it was to explore her community and be an active part of it. And of course, her travel guide self wants everyone to visit and absorb our local community.
As the day ends, their many costumes rest for the night. But their work continues to shape Chadron, and to remind CSC students that every role in a community matters. And although their phones may still be ringing, at least the doorbell has settled down for the night.
