CEO of the Daytona Chamber, Bike Week's organizer, getting set to ride off into the sunset
DAYTONA BEACH − When Nancy Keefer got hired in October 2013, she said she saw the key to succeeding as president and CEO of the Daytona Regional Chamber of Commerce would be "listening to those in the trenches."
That philosophy helped Keefer guide Volusia County's largest chamber through numerous challenges over the years including hurricanes, a recession, and the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The chamber in recent years also celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2019 and completed a $3 million makeover of its building on City Island last year. It is currently serving as the official organizer of the 84th annual Daytona Beach Bike Week, the 10-day motorcycle rally that began Feb. 28 and runs through Sunday, March 9.
Keefer in an email to chamber members this week announced her plans to retire at the end of the year.
"The Chamber is in a strong position for continued success, and with the dedicated board leadership and an exceptional chamber staff, I have no doubt the future is bright for the Chamber and our community," she stated in the email.
Keefer, who will be 62 when she retires, said she and her husband Chris intend to continue calling the Daytona Beach area home. They live in Port Orange.
The chamber in 2013 was reeling from the abrupt departure of its previous president and CEO who resigned under a cloud of controversy.
Keefer was hired after a national search that produced more than 100 applicants. A native of upstate New York, she had 25 experience as a chamber executive, including a stint as president of the Bonita Springs Area Chamber in southwest Florida and as president and CEO of the Chester County (Pennsylvania) Chamber of Business & Industry that included serving as chair of the Pennsylvania Association of Chamber Executives in 2012.
Keefer in an interview with The Daytona Beach News-Journal in 2013 said, "I think the chamber plays a pivotal role in helping businesses succeed and I look forward to being a part of that."
The chamber began 2013 with roughly 800 members. It currently has more than 900, Keefer confirmed on Wednesday.
The Daytona Regional Chamber's accomplishments under Keefer's watch included earning its first-ever accreditation with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 2017, a feat it repeated in 2022. Currently, only 174 chamber organizations out of the 7,000 throughout the country hold that honor.
Accreditation is the national organization's stamp of approval after a thorough examination of the chamber's business practices, the qualifications of its leaders, contributions to the community, and commitment to free enterprise and promoting pro-growth policies at the federal, state and local levels.
Keefer currently serves on the U.S. Chamber's Committee of 100 as well as on the board of the Florida Chamber of Commerce. She served as chair of the National Association of Chamber Executives in 2018-2019.
Keefer said one of the goals in making over the chamber building at 126 E. Orange Ave. in Daytona Beach was transforming it to help the organization become "more attuned to the needs of businesses in the 21st century."
The new amenities include the addition of a media wall, a coffee station, a podcast studio, multiple "collaboration areas," training space, and a 1,000-square-foot board room that opens out to an outdoor deck overlooking the Halifax River.
The standalone two-story chamber building now also houses two City of Daytona Beach departments: the office of economic and strategic opportunities and the business enterprise management office, as well as a separate office used by Kelli Cosentino, executive director of the Volusia County Association for Responsible Development (VCARD).
The chamber employs eight full-time staffers as well as two part-time workers.
"One of our goals (in making over the chamber building) was to turn it into a hub of activity for businesses," said Keefer. "We've hosted over 440-some meetings since the new building opened."
The Daytona Regional Chamber puts on events throughout the year, including business networking gatherings and ribbon-cutting ceremonies to celebrate store openings.
It is also the official organizer of the annual 10-day Daytona Bike Week event in March that draws hundreds of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts from throughout the country.
Keefer said she made the decision to retire at the end of the year because she and her husband, who retired five years ago from his longtime job as an insurance claims adjustor, want to do some traveling and are ready to take on new challenges, while continuing to make Daytona Beach their home base.
"The chamber's in great shape," she said. "My desire is to leave it better than I found it."
Michael Sznapstajler, an environmental law attorney with Cobb Cole, was recently installed at the chamber's annual dinner meeting in February as its board chair for 2025. He said the chamber will form a task force soon to begin a national search for candidates to succeed Keefer as president and CEO.
He added that the hope is to have the new hire in place before Keefer's last day on the job so she can assist that person in getting up to speed as well as to introduce him or her to people in the local business community.
"While I'm sad that she's retiring, I'm happy for her as a person," said Sznapstajler. "I'm also excited that she'll still be involved in the community."
Phil Maroney was the chamber's board chair who oversaw Keefer's hiring. By coincidence, he retired from his longtime job as president of The Root Company in Ormond Beach just two days before Keefer announced her retirement plans.
"When we went through a nationwide search (for a new chamber CEO), Nancy from my standpoint immediately stood out," Maroney recalled. "She sent us a thick binder filled with sheet after sheet of things the Chester County Chamber had undertaken under her watch."
Maroney added that Keefer hit the ground running when she started her new job here. "She came in at a really challenging time for us and just knocked it out of the park," he said. "She lived the chamber 24/7 and was on top of every detail. She still impresses me to this day. I can't sing her praises enough."
Snzapstajler said
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona Chamber CEO, organizer of Bike Week, getting set to retire
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