Chat With the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce

Stacy Garmon shares what's happening with the chamber and this stunning Colorado city.

By Kevin Litwin on September 26, 2023

Colin Shreffler

Originally from Georgia, Stacy Garmon has been involved in chamber work for several years, and when the president and CEO position came open at the Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce, she knew she had to apply.

After a six-month process of phone interviews, Zoom calls and three in-person trips to Colorado, Garmon was hired and took office in November 2022. She is a graduate of Berry College in Rome, Georgia, where she majored in business management and minored in psychology. Livability chatted with Garmon about relocating to Castle Rock and settling in to her new role.

What got you interested in working for a chamber?
In Georgia, I was a small business owner who joined the local chamber and then volunteered as a member. I liked the chamber so much that I eventually became a staff member with the Douglas County (Ga.) Chamber, followed by becoming a staff member with the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce, which was a regional chamber in North Atlanta covering six cities.

What interested you about the opportunity in Castle Rock?
I eventually enrolled in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s development program called IOM, an acronym for Institute of Organizational Management. It’s a four-year program over four summers that teaches professional development for chamber leaders. A lot of chamber CEOs have the IOM designation.

When I heard about the opening, I had already earned my IOM designation and also had seven years of chamber experience, so I wanted to advance to the next step by leading a chamber.

How have things gone so far?
Great! Castle Rock mimics the city I originally came from – Alpharetta, Georgia. Castle Rock and Alpharetta feel the same, look the same and have about the same population, and Castle Rock is near the big city of Denver as Alpharetta is near Atlanta.

What was it like relocating to Castle Rock with your family?
[My husband] Greg is involved with the IT industry and works remotely, traveling, so we needed to be near an airport. We now live in downtown Castle Rock and enjoy the walkability and restaurants, and we also like Miller Park and the trail systems.

What do you want to tackle first in your new role?
I want to get to know our 500 chamber members and ask how the chamber team can be more involved with their company’s successes. I also want to expand the chamber’s women’s program and young professionals program as well as tackle workforce solution issues.

What are you proud of so far?
In March 2023, the Castle Rock Chamber was awarded 5-star accreditation from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The U.S. Chamber recognized the Castle Rock Chamber for sound policies, effective organizational procedures, positive impact on the community and much more.

The Castle Rock Chamber is one of only two chambers in Colorado to hold the 5-star accreditation. In addition, only 137 out of approximately 7,000 chambers nationwide have earned this prestigious distinction.