Community

Outgoing Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce President Tricia Maple-Damewood Reflects on Tenure

Come New Year's Day, Tricia Maple-Damewood knows things are going to be a lot different.

After seven years of brainstorming ways to nurture small businesses in Jefferson County, she's leaving her job as president of the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce to focus on her family's own business ventures -- husband Dave's company, Maple Manufacturing in Weirton; their first Airbnb, the Inn at Brandywine; and another they're developing, Juanita's Place, as well as doing marketing consults for a small list of clients.

"I still own two small businesses with my husband," Maple said. "I really loved my job with the chamber, it was hard to leave, but I knew I had to get back to my businesses. I kind of took this job to keep us afloat and moving forward when we needed somebody, but I really did love doing it."

Maple was chairman of the chamber board when she took the job as president.

"Nonprofits don't have a big budget to pay people so it's always tough," she said. "We didn't get a lot of applicants."

As president, Maple said she "saw a lot of potential. I thought we could be doing a lot more, maybe be a little more trendy and more relevant."

"I created a lot of the work, because me, the volunteers and staff were just so excited, just thinking of new things all the time, from little things like networking to things we'd never done before, like having a theme at our annual dinner. I was lucky to always have a staff that was passionate about small business.

Because she's a small business owner, Maple has always been extremely passionate about promoting "buy local and shop where you live.

Maple's been working with the chamber's next president, Kate Sedgmer, for the past month.

"It's a really good transition. We think a lot alike," Maple said. "But it's like I'm handing my baby, my puppy, off to somebody."