New Davis Chamber CEO hits the ground running

The Davis Chamber of Commerce's new CEO may have found his ideal job.

John Pitt is running around on a full schedule, networking, training, soliciting memberships, coordinating activities and producing Davis Cable Channel 17.

But he's done those kinds of jobs during different stages of his life. Now, they've come together under one umbrella.

Pitt was selected as the chamber's president and CEO in January following the October resignation of Chris Dallin, who had held the post for about 10 years. Pitt, who was most recently working for Marketstar and wrapping up his second term on the Bountiful City Council, resigned from both positions to work for the chamber.

Though the University of Utah grad and father of three wasn't planning to run for city council again, he said, he was reluctant to not complete his term.

But with about two months on the chamber job, Pitt says he's having a "tremendous amount of fun."

The chamber's theme this year is "Defy Gravity," which covers at least two major events in the county.

In September, the chamber will host the second annual Antelope Island Balloon Stampede, to which the Legislature granted $25,000 for operating costs this year. Mother Nature quashed many of the hot-air balloon events during the festival's maiden flight last year.

The festival is slated this year to take place the last weekend of September, and Pitt said the chamber is planning more "weatherproof" events, just in case Mother Nature plans a repeat.

Because Antelope Island is visible to most everyone in Davis County, Pitt said, he hopes people will get to see balloons soaring over the island this year.

The other gravity-defying event, to take place in June 2008, is the Hill Air Force Base air show. All the planning and coordinating is going on right now, Pitt said.

Over that weekend, 350,000 people are expected to visit Hill Air Force Base, which will run flying events. But for 2008, the U.S. Air Force has directed that the festival be community-generated, Pitt said.

That's where the chamber will come in, pulling its business resources to make sure the festival is a success.

"We want to meet expectations developed in the past," he said.

Pitt also hopes to reach gravity-defying numbers in chamber membership.

Currently, of the 6,000 businesses in Davis County, about 800 are associated with the chamber.

He wants to increase that number to 1,000 by the end of the year. To do that, he is preaching the benefits of chamber membership, such as the chamber's lobbying abilities, increased visibility for members and better business connections and partnerships.

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E-mail: jdougherty@desnews.com