Highlands Chamber of Commerce Executive Director announces retirement

The Executive Director of the Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, Bob Kieltyka, has announced his plan to retire from his position on June 30. Kieltyka has held the position since 2007.

Board Chair Hilary Wilkes says, “Bob has seen the organization through many successful years as the Highlands business community and tourism landscape grew in new and exciting directions. The current and past boards and the entire community benefitted greatly from Bob’s commitment to Highlands and dedication to the Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center. We are all very appreciative of Bob’s service and excited for him as he embarks on this next phase of his life.”

Kieltyka’s announcement comes on the heels of two banner years for the Highlands Food and Wine Festival, an initiative that began with the Chamber of Commerce during the beginning of his term (then called Highlands Culinary Weekend.) The organization also developed a new branding strategy for marketing Highlands and is nearing the launch of a new digital strategy including a new website and CRM system that will allow target marketing and visitor newsletters as well as manage the growing amounts of data that can be deployed to make local businesses more successful by merchandising them online and in the e-newsletters. Another recent initiative included the restructuring of the chamber membership program in 2018 that allows members to serve more of a community-building and sponsorship role through their contributions to the organization.

“It has been a very rewarding career,” says Kieltyka. “As a business owner in Highlands myself, I realize the importance of what an organization like the Chamber of Commerce means to local businesses and also the pivotal role the Visitors Center plays in attracting the right audience to Highlands, visitors that appreciate our unique offering and patronize our businesses—something that will keep us viable and sustainable into the future. It has been a great pleasure to be involved in shaping the organization to benefit the community and to help grow it into what it is today.”

Wilkes says, “All the accomplishments we have seen over the past few years with Bob’s support will really pave the way for a new direction that will keep us fresh, relevant and a valuable resource to local businesses and the community. And we greatly appreciate the role that Bob played in that.”