PORT TOWNSEND — A newly created position in the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce is designed to plan and coordinate local events while persuading out-of-town organizations to host their events in the county.
“This is a very exciting opportunity,” said Port Ludlow resident Laura Brackenridge, who began in the job Monday.
“There is a lot of potential here, to host a variety of events and meetings.”
Brackenridge has lived in the area for about six years and knows her way around, but will still take time to inventory the various locales that can accommodate conferences, conventions and other types of meetings.
“The options here are increasing,” she said.
“We’ve had Fort Worden for a while, but the Northwest Maritime Center has some nice space that can be used for conventions and meetings.”
Brackenridge’s salary will be jointly paid by the chamber and the Conventions and Visitors Bureau, as the work she does overlaps the needs of both organizations.
Dedicating a position to event planning parallels the new chamber structure, which includes what was once three independent chamber organizations.
“It makes sense to have one person working on events and one person working on memberships in addition to the executive director,” said outgoing chamber president Kris Nelson.
“If we have different people taking over each function they can all be more productive.”
Brackenridge, 50, spent her career working on marketing, distribution and event planning for Capitol Records in Hollywood, Calif.
It was a job that she said gives her the necessary skills to plan and coordinate events in Jefferson County.
“I planned events and meetings for 12 different record companies,” she said.
“That gave me the experience and knowledge I need to bring meetings to this area.”
Brackenridge and her husband, Jerry, who was a veteran executive at Capitol-EMI, moved to Port Ludlow at a time when the record business was facing severe cutbacks.
The couple had a large collection of vinyl records, commemorative gold records and memorabilia which they sold “because we wanted to leave the record business behind.”
Jerry Brackenridge, who died one year ago, worked with Bob Seger, Tina Turner and the Rolling Stones, among other artists.
The Jefferson County chamber position is Laura Brackenridge’s first job since leaving Capitol Records.
She will work alongside the next executive director, the replacement for Jennifer Wells MacGillonie, who has accepted a job as CEO of the Camarillo Chamber of Commerce in Ventura County, Calif.
Nelson said the Jefferson chamber’s search committee was to meet Monday afternoon to review the 27 applications for the position.
Applicants will be narrowed down to semifinalists, which will remain private.
Names of applicants will not be disclosed until the finalist stage, Nelson said.
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.