The Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce has realigned and hired new staff in order to meet the ever-changing needs of the local business community.

John Gibson is joining the team and will serve as the Chamber’s new member relations manager. Four-year employee Paige Lorentzen has accepted a new role as the marketing and events manager. Longtime volunteer Jan Layoff is also starting a part-time position as a support staff member.

Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce, Betsy LaVoie, said she decided to hire Gibson to fill the member relations manager position due to his extensive Chamber experience and passion for local business.

“John has a strong background in community, economic and business development,” LaVoie said. “He has 15 years’ experience with chambers of commerce – nearly 11 years on the staff of area chambers, including membership director of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce and CEO of the Gilbert Chamber.”

Gibson was also on the staff of the Arizona Department of Commerce (now the Arizona Commerce Authority), serving as the business retention and expansion program manager for nearly five years. In that position he supported chambers of commerce and economic development organizations throughout Arizona in the development of effective, community-based business retention and expansion programs.

Locally, Gibson was active as an emcee, auctioneer and announcer for a variety of fundraising and community events for nearly 15 years. He coached Little League baseball for 14 years. In 2017, he was inducted in the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame. As a coin collector, he is founder and past president of the Fountain Hills Coin Club. From 2007 until recently, he worked full-time for Western States Publishers, publisher of The Fountain Hills Times newspaper, as an advertising representative. Gibson is a new member of the Fountain at 50 Celebration Committee and owns and operates a part-time coins and collectibles appraisal business.

As the new member relations manager, Gibson will be in charge of membership sales and retention, sponsorship sales as well as a support staff for the Chamber’s Public Policy Committee.

Paige Lorentzen has worked for the Chamber since 2015, when she was originally hired as the events and marketing coordinator. Over the past few years her role within the Chamber has become more involved, gaining experience and bringing new ideas to the organization. After the passing of Sharon Morgan, the Chamber’s special events manager, Lorentzen will now absorb her duties as well as maintain the marketing side of the position that she was already responsible for.

“I was lucky to work alongside Sharon Morgan for my entire time at the Chamber thus far, and she truly taught me so much, Lorentzen said. “She became a mentor to me and I am thankful I had someone like her to learn from.”

In addition to the events Lorentzen oversaw as the event coordinator – such as the Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Fountain Hills Connect Networking Breakfasts and the Community Expo – she will oversee all planning for the annual Fountain Festival of Fine Arts & Crafts (November and February), the Chamber Gala and more.

Jan Layoff, who has volunteered at the Chamber for the past few years, will now step into a part-time role as Chamber support staff. She will “float” within the office offering assistance to the events department, administration, the visitor center and membership. LaVoie said her assistance is welcomed by other staff members and they are all excited to have her officially a part of the team.