SPI Chamber President Finds "Perfect Fit’’

by R.DANIEL CAVAZOS

Chamber President Jeanette Greider addresses a crowd gathered for the official grand opening last February of the nonprofit organization's new  offices on Padre Boulevard. 

The South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce’s new offices on 4113 Padre Boulevard are spacious and stylish and house the organization’s new president.

Jeannette Greider took the helm of the SPI Chamber as its President earlier this year after a months-long stint of shadowing her predecessor, Alita Bagley. For Greider, the new leadership post comes after a successful career in advertising sales and marketing for both print and broadcast media outlets in the Rio Grande Valley. Her many years of working for media companies included management positions and engaging with small business owners to help boost their revenues.

Greider’s experience in working closely with small businesses is serving her well as the Chamber’s President. Relationships with small business owners is a foundational piece of chamber of commerce work in any community. The island’s chamber would fall under that heading. Greider’s enthusiasm for connecting with SPI’s small businesses is evident as she lays out key goals for the nonprofit organization.

"I was elated when I was offered this position," she said. "I feel that it’s a perfect fit for me and how we work to lift up and advocate for our members and the Island."

Getting Here

Greider’s arrival at the chamber came after a serendipitous turn-of-events in the spring of 2023 when she attended a customer service seminar given by the SPI Convention & Visitors Bureau.

South Padre Island Chamber of Commerce leadership and local residents gathered in late February for the ribbon cutting of the new chamber's offices on Padre Boulevard. (Courtesy)

She participated in the CVB event to network and learn more about the island after years of following the chamber on social media. It was at the seminar where she met Bagley in having a productive session at the workshop. Greider would learn soon thereafter that the President’s job would be coming open. She decided to apply, thinking her chances of getting the job were remote.

Interviewing for the Chamber job in the summer of 2023, she would find that her perceived longshot possibilities of landing the job weren’t so remote after all. Greider was offered the chamber’s president job in late August. She started a six month-stint the next month in shadowing Bagley during a period of transition, not only in leadership but in moving into new offices.

Now, heading into the summer of 2024, Greider is firmly in office, working with her two-person staff on a long list of projects and events in serving the Chamber’s members and "improving but not changing" the best features of the island’s chamber.

Chamber President Jeanette Greider is utilizing her background in sales and marketing to work closely with small businesses on the Island. (Island Matters)

Moving Forward

Greider’s list of priorities and goals at the chamber is lengthy and on-point in serving the island’s business community.

The list includes:

• Upgrading the chamber’s technological capabilities so it can improve in-office efficiencies and devote more time to working with and serving members.

• Helping small businesses navigate matters pertaining to city government and keeping members informed about issues being discussed at City Hall that may affect members.
• Connecting members to resources such as training courses and programs offered by the Small Business Administration and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Both the SBA and UTRGV offer programs focused on assisting small business owners.
• Continuing to improve the chamber’s robust website, which is filled with information about island events and chamber activities. It also features a portal for members that is a gateway for communication, touting specials at individual businesses, and posting job openings.
• Utilize the space offered by the new 3,500-square-foot chamber building to host training sessions and meetings benefitting the Island’s business community.

Underlying these goals is the maintenance and quality of relationships the Chamber has with its members, area governments and school districts, and fellow nonprofit organizations. Getting to all of the ribbon cuttings, breakfast events and luncheons, and events organized by the chamber requires Greider to work closely with her two-person staff. They are marketing director Dianna Harvill and membership services director Beverley Eymard. Greider lauded Harvill and Eymard for their contributions and years of service to the chamber.

Membership Services director Beverley Eymard works behind the front counter of the new Chamber offices on Padre Boulevard. (Island Matters)

"I came in with a clean mindset," Greider said. "I love the island and now it’s more than just loving the island in working to help businesses succeed."

R Daniel Cavazos is a Rio Grande Valley native and
longtime journalist who has worked as a publisher,
editor, and reporter at several South Texas
newspapers, including The Monitor, the Valley Morning
Star, The Brownsville Herald, and San Antonio Light.

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