meet the staff

TARA BITZAN
​Executive Director

LAUREN JOHNSON
Marketing Coordinator

SADIE RIEDEL​
Member Relations Specialist

TAMMY WELLE
Visitor & Resource Center Coordinator

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VALUES: Collaboration: Working with others to best serve our community. Excellence: Doing our best at all times, in every task big or small. Efficiency: Striving to be quick, yet accurate and thorough in all that we do. Passion: Letting our love for our community lead us in our work.

CHAMBER BOARD

The Board of Directors helps drive the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce.  The board is comprised of business owners and employees representing all major business sectors in our community. Potential board members are identified annually by the Chamber nomination committee. They are elected to a three-year term, and may serve two consecutive terms.

2026 Board of Directors

Andrew Rickers
President
Old National Bank

Lynn Arnquist
Past President
Alexandria Technical &
​Community College

Amy Christopherson
President Elect
State Farm Insurance​

Nick Paulsen
Treasurer
​CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen)

Jeff Meland
Secretary
Databae Systems

Andrea Allyn
Heartland Orthopedic Specialists

Jayme Bratsch
Gardonville Telephone Cooperative Association

Ryan Hjelle
Ellingson Plumbing, Heating, A/C & Electrical

Kent Kopp
Pike & Pint Grill

Sharlo Meyer
Aagard

Tyler Notch
Alexandria Shooting Park

Shari Prause
Holiday Inn Express & Suites

Michelle Wencl
Karrow Jewelers

PILLARS OF OPERATION: Effective Collaborations: Establish rapport, reduce duplication of services and join resources to best serve the community as a whole. Satisfied, Engaged Members: Members understand the value the Chamber brings to their business/organization. Operational Excellence: Establish/maintain logistics to allow for operational excellence. Strategic Events and Programs: Offer quality events and programming that benefit members.