News release
The Chamber in Hays, Kansas has announced Leigh Purdy has been named the next vice president of membership.
"My name is Leigh Purdy, and I am excited to share that I will be joining The Chamber in Hays, Kansas staff on May 1st as the new vice president of membership," she said. "I will be working alongside Rhonda (Meyerhoff) during her last month as she nears retirement. I am very excited to connect more with the community and serve the Chamber's members."
Purdy’s previous job experiences and community involvement include serving as the general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn & Convention Center, participating in Hays Young Professionals, serving on the HYP Advisory Council and serving as the HYP chair-elect since the beginning of 2023. Recently, Purdy has participated in several programs such as Leadership Hays, Dale Carnegie and the Kansas Leadership Center’s three-step leadership pathway.
“This community has given me so many opportunities to better myself through such programs as Leadership Hays, Dale Carnegie, and more, and I look forward to returning the favor by lending my talents to the Chamber," she said. "My mother was a small business owner, and thanks to her passion, she instilled in me the importance of small businesses supporting each other and the power of networking. Even here in Hays, my family has a history of investing on our community as my great-grandfather, C.L. Itzen, founded State Glass Company years ago. I think it will be a great fit working with the Chamber to honor my family’s tradition."
"Leigh is incredibly passionate about the Hays/Ellis County community. Her continued dedication to her personal and professional ongoing learning will allow her to quickly adapt and flourish in this new role," President/CEO Sarah Wasinger. "We believe Leigh's knowledge of our chamber as an organization will empower her to provide a smooth transition for our members and further help The Chamber in Hays, Kansas achieve its mission of accelerating business connections and advocating community advancement. We eagerly anticipate Purdy joining our team and look forward to introducing her to our members and community."