The leadership of the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce will change hands on October 1, 2022.

Melonie Monson, CEO, to step down after 6.5 years of Service

CEO, Melonie Monson, will be stepping down to spend more time with her family. Melonie has been with the chamber for more than seven years and has led the chamber for 6 ½ years. She states, “It has been a great privilege and honor to be part of this amazing organization, we have done amazing work! Together, with an incredible team, we have built this organization into a well-respected chamber which has put the needs of the business community in the forefront.”

The last few years have proven that the Zephyrhills Chamber is one of the strongest chambers in the state. In 2019 the chamber was awarded the Florida Association of Chamber Professionals (FACP) ‘Chamber Plus Certification’.

The Geater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce is only one of 16 chambers in the state to join this elite list,
representing the pinnacle standards of excellence in Organization Management, Service Intent and Capacity, Professional Administration, Financial Management, and Marketing/Public Relations. In 2019 Monson stated, “Not only has the Zephyrhills Chamber shown their ability to lead others through great leadership from our Board of Directors, but it has also stepped up its game by becoming a Certified Plus Chamber. Each of our members can be assured we use ‘best practices’ in all that we do. Recognizing that we are among the best in the state makes our staff thrilled to know that their hard work has paid off.”

In 2020 & 2021 when many chambers shut their doors, the Zephyrhills Chamber, amped up their work and continued to lead through some of the most difficult times for business and community and showed a level of excellence that was seen throughout the state.

On September 24, 2021, the chamber was awarded the Florida Association of Chamber Professional (FACP) ‘Online Communication Award’ for the amazing work they did during COVID 19 to keep local businesses at the forefront. Melonie states, “When COVID hit we all believed things would get back to normal quickly, well, we soon saw this was not the case. As a chamber there was no playbook as to what to do in a situation like this, but we knew we were not going to just sit back and wait to see what happened. The chamber staff brainstormed and decided we needed the public to know our businesses were still open and needed THEM. So, we quickly created the ‘JumpStart Z’Hills’ series to showcase our community.

We started with a ‘Restaurant Recovery’ series which spotlighted more than a dozen local restaurants with videos and interviews and an interactive scavenger hunt for our citizens. We realized we had thousands engaged via social media and knew we were on to something. From there, staff kept creating new series focusing on different sectors in our community which continued to make an impact in Zephyrhills.”

This level of excellence continued to be reached when Monson was awarded the Florida Certified Chamber Professional designation in 2021 from FACP, after more than five years of proven leadership. The Florida Association of Chamber Professionals also appointed her to their Board of Directors to help train and support other chambers and leaders as they stive to follow best practices as a chamber of commerce.

The Board of Directors decided that the best way to capitalize on this amazing progress is to tap our current COO, Vicki Wiggins, to lead the chamber going forward. Vicki came to the chamber last year with a vast array of knowledge and experience. Her past body of work shows she is a dedicated and effective administrator with over 25 years of experience in management, fundraising events, compliance, budget and program implementation, customer service, leadership, and as an analyst. Chairman of the Board, Dr. Randy Stovall, states, “The long list of skills Vicki brings to the table along with her training in the nonprofit sector will continue the caliber of leadership we have come to expect here at the Zephyrhills Chamber. The board of directors look forward to a seamless transition in October.”

The board knows that this change will not come without many tears and heart pulling moments. Stovall states, “Melonie has been an amazing leader not only for the chamber but in the community. She is loved by all who meet and know her and is committed to making Zephyrhills a great place to live, she will be missed.”

Melonie is excited to use her experience in her new position at her family’s business, Bahr’s Propane Gas & AC. She will be working on marketing the business along with building awareness of the new Bahr’s Technical Center on Copeland Drive in Zephyrhills, which is focused on training the next generation of HVAC technicians. She will also be working as an entrepreneur in her new laser engraving business. Melonie states, “I’m excited about this new adventure in life. Being able to spend more time with my mother who just moved back to Zephyrhills along with my grandchildren sounds like heaven to me. I will cherish the relationships I have built here at the chamber and leave happy knowing that it is in good hands.” At the last board meeting she informed the board, “you’ll still have me around here at the chamber…just in a new role as a wife, daughter, mother, nana, and family supporter.”
The transition will take place on October 1, 2021, as the new fiscal year begins at the Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce.

For more information, please call or email Melonie Monson, CEO@zephyrhillschamber.org, (813) 782-1913.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce advances economic growth and prosperity for our community.

The Chamber of Commerce is incorporated in the State of Florida as a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization. Our
membership is comprised of businesses, government agencies, public-private corporations, non-profit organizations and individuals with a shared interest in preserving and enhancing the quality of life in Zephyrhills. 

We promote a vibrant and active business climate supporting economic growth through leadership and active involvement by our membership.