Natalie Redmond ’00 is the newest President and CEO of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce and the first woman to hold the position since the Chamber’s founding in 1862.
Redmond always knew she wanted to work in a chamber of commerce because it was a place where she could have a significant impact on her community. “I could have gone anywhere and run a chamber, but I was proud to run a chamber where my alma mater is Missouri Western and I can be an advocate for the university wherever I travel,” Redmond said. “Missouri Western is such a tremendous asset for the city of St. Joseph and I embrace it every day. We’re very lucky to have a university and be a university town.”
Missouri Western started out as the school that “… was the farthest away from my parents I could get in the state of Missouri …” and ended up becoming the foundation of Redmond’s rise within the Chamber of Commerce and the relationships she has been able to build. “I had a lot of opportunities when I was there [at Missouri Western] to get out and develop some of the skillsets I use today. The basic skills I was able to learn in my speech and communication classes I use every single day in my job now, and they definitely helped mold me in what I do,” Redmond said. “We [Redmond and her friends] definitely built a sense of community at Missouri Western, and I keep in touch with those people … they’ve become my family.”