After six years of welcoming business owners, planning events and serving as a familiar face in the local business community, Anne Fritz is preparing to step away from the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce.
Fritz joined the chamber in January 2021 after a career in chemical engineering and heavy industry, followed by years as a stay-at-home mother. Now, after nearly six years as executive director, she is ready to move on.
“It has been a pleasure to be the face of the Oak Lawn Chamber these past six years and I will be rooting for their future success,” Fritz said.
Her retirement marks a transition not only for Fritz, but for a chamber that has grown to more than 400 members and is preparing for what could be an important next step.
The Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based organization governed by a Board of Directors, including an Executive Board. Its mission is to represent and advance the Oak Lawn business community while working to improve the village’s economic atmosphere, business climate and overall image.
As executive director, Fritz has spent the past several years connecting businesses, nonprofit organizations, community groups and government services while helping members find ways to promote themselves and build relationships.
The work has included networking opportunities, marketing options at free or reduced prices, community activities and a steady calendar of chamber events.
“When I started this position, almost every person who welcomed me said, ‘This is the most active Chamber in the area!'” Fritz said. “And we have continued in that vein with sometimes an event every week!”
That pace was a departure from the professional path Fritz originally envisioned.
She studied chemical engineering and spent years working in heavy industry before taking a different role at home as a stay-at-home mother. Eventually, she found her way to the chamber, where she began learning about the businesses and organizations that make up the community she had already called home for decades.
Fritz and her husband, Dan, have been Oak Lawn residents for 26 years, raising their four children in the community. Before settling in Oak Lawn, the family lived in Beverly and Burbank.
“My predecessor was here for 13 years before that,” Fritz said.
The executive director position has been part time for nearly 20 years, but the Chamber Executive Board believes the organization has reached a point where a full-time executive director is needed.
With more than 400 current members, Fritz sees an opportunity for the chamber to give even more attention to the businesses and organizations it represents.
“The Chamber stands on a tipping point with over 400 current members and implementing a full-time executive director position could bring more attention to those businesses and organizations in Oak Lawn and the surrounding communities in ways that can better support their needs,” she said.
The position goes beyond organizing chamber events. Fritz said the executive director serves as a link between businesses, organizations, community groups and government services.
“The executive director of the Oak Lawn Chamber plays an important role in connecting businesses, organizations, community and government services,” she said. “We provide support in the form of networking opportunities, free and reduced pricing marketing options, activities for the community and much more.”
The work has given Fritz something she did not necessarily expect when she took the position: a stronger connection to the place she calls home.
“This position has helped me personally feel more connected to my community and it has taught me the importance of the strength of our businesses and nonprofit organizations,” she said.
That connection will continue to shape her life after the chamber.
Fritz’s son, who has Down syndrome, will finish his Adult Transition Program at AERO Special Education Cooperative in the spring. Once students reach age 22, state-mandated programming ends, leaving parents and guardians to navigate the next steps involving programs, activities and employment.
“That will be what I am focused on moving forward,” Fritz said.
As Fritz prepares to leave, she leaves behind a position that put her at the center of countless introductions, business openings, networking events and community gatherings. The chamber is now searching for its next executive director. The position will transition from part time to full time as the organization looks to build on its membership and continue expanding its role in the Oak Lawn business community.
Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to oaklawnchamber@gmail.com by Sept. 4. The full job description is available through the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce’s website.
“I will be rooting for their future success,” Fritz said.