Barrington Chamber President Janet Meyer Announces Retirement

Janet Meyer, President and CEO of the Barrington Area Chamber of Commerce, has announced her retirement from the Chamber, in June 2013. 

Meyer has been with the BACC for more than 13 years. She took over in December 2000 from Carol Beese, who had been the Chamber's first and only President since its founding in 1968.  

Before coming to Barrington, Meyer was Executive Director of the Mattoon, IL Chamber. Meyer holds a Master of Science from Eastern Illinois University, certification from the IACCE and the Lester Braun Jr. Distinguished Illinois Chamber Executive Award; is a graduate of the Institute of Organizational Management; and served on the Board of the Illinois Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (IACCE) for seven years. 

"I leave the Barrington Chamber with mixed feelings, of course," said Meyer. "While retirement looks inviting, it's hard to leave such a thriving organization, one that I've really poured my heart into. Every new program, every added member benefit, every new member, brings opportunity to develop more programs, add more member benefits, and welcome more new members." 

During her tenure, Meyer nearly doubled Chamber membership to its present 960 members. She guided the BACC through many changes over the past 13+ years, introducing new programs to help better serve Members as well as engage the communities-at-large served by the Chamber, developing numerous successful events, and supporting businesses and organizations in the communities within its service area. Her efforts have helped promote the Barrington region statewide and nationally while developing robust relationships with local villages and townships.

Meyer says she is particularly proud of her efforts in government affairs to advocate for all businesses, galvanize local economic prosperity and job growth, and bring new businesses to the Barrington region, and has introduced continuing and evolving technology advancements into the organization's procedures and administration. 

Lisa Scoville, Board Chair, said, "Everyone associated with the Chamber and who knows Janet will miss her energy and smile. Her dedication to the Barrington Chamber is evident in every community and Chamber signature event, every program, every committee, every promotion. . . . . it will be hard to find someone to fill her shoes." 

Meyer and her husband Jack will be relocating to downstate Illinois, though she will still serve as a consultant to the Chamber as needed. The Chamber Board will immediately begin the search process for her replacement.