Get to know the Chamber staff! Featuring...Tara Bitzan

​My name is Tara Bitzan. I am a lifelong resident of Douglas County, and can’t imagine living anywhere else! I grew up on a farm in Moe Township and graduated from Brandon High School. I earned degrees in Mass Communications and English with a focus on print journalism and a minor in Scandinavian Studies from Moorhead State University.

I was thrilled to find a journalism position “back home,” and spent the next 25 years working for the Echo Press newspaper in Alexandria. I met a lot of incredible people and had some amazing experiences while working as an intern, staff reporter, Life editor, Special Projects editor and finally editor at the twice weekly community newspaper.

In June 2016, I moved a few blocks down the road to begin working as director of the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce. I loved my previous career as a community journalist, and I love my new career at the Chamber. I truly believe the reason for both is because of what a great community the Alexandria Lakes Area is! I consider myself blessed every day to be able to live and work here, where I believe we have the best of everything – shopping, health care, education, recreation and natural beauty.
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My husband, Dennis, is also a Douglas County native, and is the co-owner of Bitzan-Ohren Masonry. Our blended family includes five children and five grandchildren. I love spending time with family, reading, gardening, relaxing at the lake, and going to work because I love my job! Not only do I love the work we do at the Chamber supporting our local business community, but I also love the people I work with. They are talented, innovative, hard-working, high-energy, fun, and truly care about what they do. I am blessed!

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