Birch Bay Chamber board takes shape

By Steve Guntli

The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce (BBCC) has settled on its new leadership following the election of its new members.

The board selected Jeff Carrington to act as the chamber’s new president.

“Jeff is an amazing president,” said board member Wayne Diaz. “I’m just on cloud nine with everything going on.”

The board appointed Mike Kent vice president, and Carrie Beck is returning as secretary. Diaz, Doralee Booth, Billy Brown, Gary Gibbons, Pam Hansen and Randy Parten make up the rest of the board of directors.

On January 6, Tammy Pearce, owner of Bay Café, announced she would be resigning her place on the board of directors only weeks after being elected. Pearce cited schedule conflicts that would not allow her to take part in all the required events.

“I am very disappointed that I will not be on the frontline of such a monumental year,” Pearce said in a statement to chamber members. “But as always, I will support the BBCC and will volunteer where I can.”

The board selected Randy Parten to replace Pearce, and named him treasurer.

“It was a no-brainer,” Diaz said. “The board has to appoint a new member if someone resigns, and Randy had only missed it by about two votes the first time.”

Parten is the president of Bellingham-based Instant Human Resources. Diaz said the board selected Parten for treasurer due to his business and accounting experience.

Besides Pearce, Booth, Brown and Diaz were newly elected to the board at November’s Annual General Membership meeting.

The board is now focusing its energy on the upcoming Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival, in which Birch Bay will take a larger role this year. The board is also celebrating the success of this year’s Polar Bear Plunge event, which Diaz estimates drew around 3,000 people to the bay.