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made the decision they wanted someone local with business however he can.
experience who knew the community and could learn the “I dealt with a lot of different people in my previous
rest. for that, I am very grateful.” career and that prepared me for the variety of folks I work
while there are many differences between the private with here,” he said. “In any typical business, you deal with a
and public sectors, pitner’s experience at economy — where wide range of things, from finances to customers to vendors,
he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the business while etc..
his brother David handled the sales and marketing aspects “It’s really no different here. I work with a lot of business
— prepared him quite well for the chamber position. people. I get to hear their concerns and help them improve in
regardless of the job or the project at hand, pitner has some way. because of my experience, I’ve likely encountered
earned a reputation for being a calm, level-headed and any given problem before and I’m usually able to pitch some
natural leader with the ability to bring ideas together for the advice on most things.”
best end result. pitner enjoys hearing feedback from anyone with whom
“I don’t necessarily feel like I do ‘leadership’ roles per se,” he crosses paths, although he appreciates constructive
he explained modestly as he reflected inside the chamber’s rather than unfounded criticism. more often than not, he
board room recently about his keen ability to lead others says people are supportive of the chamber and its mission.
through his job or volunteer work. “I see the things I’m “I’m always open to suggestions,” he said. “sure, we
involved with more as ‘service’ roles. hear the occasional gripes now and then but for the most
“I’ve had a lot of experience in a lot of areas, and I part people are very supportive of our mission. I have a lot
think that helps some. I never want to insert myself, or my of friends in this town as well, and they’re very supportive,
opinions, if they’re not wanted of course, but if it’s a project which makes it nice.”
or organization I believe in, or something I enjoy and am on the flip side, being in a public role surrounded by
passionate about, I don’t mind helping at all. I guess I just many life-long friends puts an enormous amount of pressure
naturally gravitate toward helping where I can.” on pitner to do the job even that much better.
when he showed up for business his first day four-plus “yes, I feel tremendous pressure and I feel that every
years ago, pitner recalls feeling more nervous than excited. day,” he said. “I feel lots of pressure, but that’s ok. I expect
It was september 2013, and he really didn’t know exactly there to be pressure, and I want to be accountable. has it all
what to expect. he laughs when admitting he didn’t even been perfect? no. we’ve had a few hiccups, but that’s ok,
know what the chamber’s budget looked like. and for the most part, things have been good.”
“there were so many things I didn’t know,” he laughed. looking ahead, pitner is excited with the chamber’s
“but I was excited. It was an opportunity for me to work for growth, its position, and the future. he’s looking forward
the betterment of shelbyville, and that was huge to me.” to developing a strategic plan and then chipping away at the
out of the gate, pitner anticipated working on the action items within that plan.
chamber’s organizational structure and developing a new the chamber has many opportunities for involvement,
mission and vision for the organization, however that wasn’t whether its serving as an ambassador or on another
exactly what happened. circumstances derailed him from committee, or participating in programs such as the
what he anticipated and led him to focus on the task at hand partners in education program, which started under pitner’s
— helping the county secure an industrial park. leadership.
“we got so wrapped up in economic development, and “businesses can apply to be partners and we match
things related to that jumped in the way of some of the them with a school after identifying where specific needs
things I thought I’d be doing,” he said. “just now, four are,” he said. “businesses then meet with their designated
years later, we are getting back to those initial things, such school once a year and develop a plan. one business, for
as tourism and finding ways to better serve the community, example, might want to establish attendance awards. And
and ultimately just making shelbyville a better place to live.” we’ve actually seen attendance increase because of this … I
looking back, pitner said one of the biggest challenges always wanted to start a partnership in education program,
he’s learned or experienced is having to get approval from a but we never had the manpower to do it, so I’m really proud
group of others in order to get things done. of this.”
“I was used to making decisions in the private sector At the end of the day, pitner explains his job is to improve
without having to get a vote,” he laughed. “And there’s quality of life and help showcase all bedford county has to
nothing wrong with that and I kind of expected that, but offer.
that’s probably the biggest challenge or change I’ve had to “when people visit here, the questions we get asked
learn in my role here.” most often is, ‘what is there to do here?’ and ‘what unique
even so, pitner has risen to the challenge with relative restaurants do you have?’ and ‘where can we see a horse?’”
ease. he’s proud of the board and the many volunteers at he said. “people visit to see what we have, and our job is to
the chamber and the feelings are mutual among those with show them. we give them lists of restaurants, we point them
whom he works. to the square, to bell buckle, to wartrace, the Duck river
In terms of serving local businesses, pitner also has … we want them to see the many reasons why they should
developed and maintained positive relationships with many choose bedford.” H
as he strives to help them achieve their goals and assist
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