Tammy Johnson leaving longtime Chamber post

Change is good, an old Greater Greencastle Chamber of Commerce ad campaign once alleged.

Chamber members are about to find out how true that really is as after nearly 15 years of being the face of the franchise, community cheerleader and a fountain of local knowledge, Tammy Johnson has resigned from her position as executive director.

After starting in the position on Halloween 2000, Johnson will be departing June 30 after 14 years and eight months in a visible community role that has found her front and center at not only most major local events but umpteen ribbon-cutting ceremonies that have welcomed new businesses to town and into the Chamber.

Through it all, Johnson has kept smiling and exuding energy and optimism as large as the ceremonial scissors that have become synonymous with her appearance at all those ribbon-cuttings.

"'Oh, you're the lady in the picture with the big scissors,'" she laughed at being characterized as such. "I get that a lot."

Leaving behind a position she has strengthened and broadened while increasing the Chamber membership from 230 to its present 325 won't be easy.

"It's been really tough," she said of letting Chamber directors and community leaders know of her decision. "It's still tough."

She admittedly tears up as each phone call or email comes in from well-wishers and touches her deeply.

"This job has been a huge part of my life for about 15 years," she told the Banner Graphic. "My kids grew up while I've been in his position."

And as her boys watched her plan and execute those many events over the years, their vision of her job was definitely skewed by witnessing the finished product.

"My kids would say my job is just 'putting on parties and getting your picture taken,'" she said. "What they don't know is a whole lot of work goes into planning those parties."

Work on events like the Taste of Putnam County, Friendship Day, the Community Clean-Up and the annual Chamber Dinner that announces the Citizen of the Year must be passed on to someone else now. Someone else will be tasked with planning the quarterly luncheons (last one of those for Johnson is June 23), Business After Hours occasions (her final one will be her last day on June 30) and annual golf and bowling scrambles. All that and day-to-day operations five days a week, too.

"We're really a business ourselves," she said of the Chamber, explaining that the executive director must market the community as well as the organization.

"The Chamber is really the front door to the community for anyone wanting to come here," Johnson said, adding that she sends out numerous packets to those interested in starting a business in the area or those simply moving to town.

"I have throughly enjoyed my job," Johnson assures. "It's been a great learning experience. I wouldn't know where to start to thank all the people I would need to thank."

She's also enjoyed how the job challenges vary from day to day.

"You can start out with your list of what you expect to do that day," she laughed, "and if you get to half of that with everything that comes up, it's been a good day."

Johnson, who now lives in Clay County with husband Brad, has accepted a position as marketing director for a new assisted living facility that will be associated with Greene County General Hospital at Linton.

"It's an opportunity at this point in my life to try something new," Johnson said.

It will be a bit like going home for the Shakamak High School (Jasonville) graduate who holds a marketing degree from Ball State University.

Meanwhile, the rest of her family will be in Greencastle. Mom and dad (Max and Paula Dean) still live here. Max is the retired former assistant principal at South Putnam, where brother Greg Dean is now boys' varsity basketball coach. Sister Christy Moore, meanwhile, will be moving to Greencastle this weekend. She teaches at Marian College.

Tammy Johnson's heart will still be here, too.

"What I'm going to hate," she said, "is not getting to see every day all the exciting things that are going on and well as those still coming down the pike.

"It's been tough to leave, I'm not going to lie."

But don't forget, change is good ...