Kenai Chamber Welcomes New Executive Director

KSRM News Desk

2 years ago

The Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center is proud to welcome, Samantha Springer as their new Executive Director.

The Board of Directors for the Kenai Chamber of Commerce spent several months searching for their new leader. Springer started her role as Executive Director at the end of March.

Springer explains why she applied for the Executive Director position;

“I really was looking for a job that was more community involvement. I wanted something that would actually make a difference and I thought this was the perfect opportunity. When I saw this position available, because I already lived down here in the Kenai peninsula. Now, my husband’s a fishing guide and I thought what a great opportunity to kind of change careers and do something that would actually make a difference.”

Springer outlines her plans for the Kenai Chamber;

“So, we are going to be doing a lot more events here directly at the chamber. I think that’s one thing that is that we’re lacking is vendor events bringing more community ties together, because it’s not just about tourism it is about bringing the community together especially in the offseason and to promote each other. They’ll be able to be a team together again and so I plan on having a lot more events here in the building. I also wanna do things outside but yeah we’re talking about vendor events pop up events if it’s a nice day being able to just you know throw an event together and at a whim and then be here.”

The Kenai and Soldotna Chamber work together on many events throughout the year and Springer says that will continue to strengthen;

“I was actually just talking with Maddy over at Soldotna chamber about how we can make sure that our events. Not only can be worked together and shared and we kind of made a commitment that we were going to be able to work together closely and make sure that we don’t have overlapping events and then do joint events as well and continue that relationship.”

Springer grew up in Anchorage and graduated from West Anchorage High School. She received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage.

Springer has an extensive background in sales and marketing. She moved to the Kenai Peninsula in 2021, with her husband Greg Springer and their 2 kids. Her husband owns and operates the local Kenai Fishing Company fishing charter.