It's Your Business: Chamber president says farewell, thanks

NOTE: This "It's Your Business" column by Chamber CEO Erin Predmore was published in the November 12, 2021 Bloomington Herald-Times.

This will be my farewell column, which means that the chamber leadership search has been a success.

The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce recently announced that the next president and CEO will be Eric Spoonmore, a longtime community resident, soon-to-be former Monroe County Council member, and a strong advocate for the business community. Eric will be starting in his new role on Dec. 1, and I am confident that he will do an outstanding job for the chamber and the broader community.

When we moved to Bloomington 7 1/2years ago, we repeatedly experienced a strange phenomenon — when meeting new people, the conversation would go like this:

Them: Hello!

Me: Hi! Nice to meet you!

Them: Isn’t Bloomington the best community?

Me: Uh, I don’t know … we’ve just gotten here. It seems very nice.

Them: It is! It is the best place to live/raise a family/work/relax/visit/ride bikes/eat.

At the time, I would chuckle about this community pride. Little did I know that everyone was right. Bloomington really is the best place. I have loved my time in Bloomington, and I’d like to take a minute to thank a few people and institutions that have made our time in Bloomington spectacular.

---

To our neighbors who didn’t blink an eye when our kids built a roller coaster down the sidewalk and rode it with a skateboard and laundry basket, thankyou for your patience and the joy you found in children playing.

To our fellow church members at First Methodist, your love and support and our memories of your beautiful music will sustain us during the transition.

To the delicious restaurants throughout town, thank you for the amazing food, especially my two favorites: the Polenta Putanesca at Uptown and the Yellow Coconut Curry at Malibu Grill.

To the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department — thank you for hosting adult soccer leagues at Twin Lakes, and to Arthur Murray Dance Studio, thank you for giving me a chance to compete (and win!) Dancing with the Celebrities.

To Azzip Pizza and Rainbow Bakery, know that we will try to replace you in our lives, but it’s not looking good. Thank you for making delicious, kid-friendly, allergy-safe, fun food.

To WonderLab — you are the best. Thank you for sparking inquiry and the love of science in all of our kids.

To our local schools, teachers and administrators — thank you for caring for the Predmore kids, teaching and encouraging them. Our community has a real treasure in you and your dedication to each of our children.

To the Bicycle Garage, thank you for keeping us on the road safely, especially during COVID.

To Monroe County Public Library, thank you for your innovation in the realm of public education, knowledge and community connectiveness. We always found a million ways to connect through your programs, and we appreciate it! Go books!

To Monroe County United Ministries and other nonprofit organizations, thank you for your dedication to the community and your commitment to care for others with dignity, innovation and efficiency.

To Indiana University, thank you for your enthusiasm for sports, the addition of Cream and Crimson to my wardrobe, and the excellent education you provide for so many.

To the Monroe County Health Department, thank you for being so good at your jobs and keeping calm and steady during the pandemic.

To our elected officials, community volunteers and active civic leaders, thank you for your service. Your work can be difficult, and many times is unsung by those who are eager to make suggestions and critiques. Thank you for keeping the future of Bloomington in mind as you make decisions, and thank you for working together with those you disagree with for the benefit of all.

To the chamber members, being part of your work the past few years has been an honor. Thank you for your support and your enthusiasm for new ideas. You managed COVID, floods and supply-chain issues with class and positive attitudes, while still investing in those around you.

To those people who let me know how wonderful Bloomington is when we moved to town, thank you for your enthusiasm for this great place. You were all correct — Bloomington is the best.