“Everything makes sense” is how Rachel Gorman describes her professional journey as she prepares to step into her new leadership role as the president of the
Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce.
Gorman, currently the chief operating officer of the membership-based nonprofit organization, has been preparing for that position under the mentorship of Cindy Larsen, whose last day as president is Oct. 4.
A 2010 graduate of Oakridge High School, Gorman was raised in Muskegon. When it came time for college, she intended to become a pharmacist, which was the suggestion of a career aptitude test, but discovered that she was terrible at chemistry.
She returned home during her sophomore year to figure things out. Her mom encouraged her to consider event planning, and Gorman pursued a degree in hospitality from Grand Valley State University with a minor in media planning.
Career opportunity
While she was working at Pints and Quarts 11 years ago, she learned of an internship opportunity with the Chamber. That connected her with the opportunity to handle marketing and events for the organization, which focuses on business in Muskegon and along the Lakeshore.
Gorman was with the Chamber from August 2013 to August 2017 the first time around. While there, she says, she developed her abilities in leading events and leveled up her advocacy efforts to support its members, a mix of small and large businesses.
She then stepped into other professional opportunities, adding that her connections from the Chamber always carried through to those positions. She even considered moving away for better career opportunities.
“I was going to get out of Muskegon and go somewhere bigger, but I was still connected with my hometown,” she explains, and she wanted to make an impact at home.
Gorman witnessed Muskegon’s evolution. Also, she noticed people began returning to the community to raise their families, which was a positive for Gorman, who got married during the pandemic in 2020.
In addition, she continued to stay in touch with Larsen, who Gorman says inspired her every day as a boss. Ten years after the first time she started with the Chamber, Gorman returned to the organization as COO.
Creating a vision
When Larsen was looking to retire, she sat down with Gorman to discuss her retirement plans and to prepare Gorman for the possibility of leading the Chamber.
“That put us on the path to see what that would look like and my visions for the organization,” Gorman says. “I had a job at the end of it all with an organization that I’ve fallen in love with.”
Gorman, who will be the first person of color to serve as president, describes the Chamber as the intersection between government, education, and the private sector – the great convener – and her job is to know everyone in these worlds.
“I love connecting people and organizations – making those connections – and that’s where the Chamber really shines,” she says.
Gorman says the community is supportive of her goals to be future-focused and to elevate the Chamber’s effectiveness in attracting new people to Muskegon, which she says has the distinction of being a large community with a “small-time feel.”
She will oversee all operations and serve as the direct contact for other community leaders. She envisions the Chamber being a one-stop shop, adding a marketing component for its partners.
Gorman is excited about the future, which includes engaging with the next generation of leadership.
“I take on the responsibility of passing this on to the upcoming generations,” she says.
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