Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce announces new CEO
Published at
IDAHO FALLS — Two months after the resignation of its former chief executive officer, the Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce has announced its successor.
In a news release, the chamber’s Board of Directors announced that Carrie Athay has been selected as its new CEO, and she will begin her duties on Oct. 1.
Athay currently serves as the executive director of the Idaho Falls Symphony.
The release states that 80 applicants applied for the chamber’s CEO position.
“From the beginning, we were looking for a leader who could bring people together, build strong relationships, and help move the chamber forward,” board chairman Brenden Craft said. “Carrie stood out throughout the process. She knows this community, she has a proven record of leadership, and we believe she is the right person to lead the chamber into its next chapter.”
Athay said in the release that she is honored and excited to step into this new role at the Chamber and looks forward to continuing efforts to connect people and businesses to build a stronger local economy.
“I see tremendous potential to build on that foundation by creating new partnerships, strengthening the connections between business and community and ensuring the chamber is a powerful voice and resource for our region,” Athay stated in a news release.
Allegations and former CEO
The chamber’s former CEO, Paul Baker, resigned back in early July amid allegations stemming from a local podcast, IFAF.
Hosted by Mike Nelson and Karley Morgan, the podcasters read questions from an alleged whistleblower who claims Baker may have misappropriated chamber funds and other allegations.
RELATED | Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce CEO resigns amid podcast allegations
Months after the initial allegations against Baker, his attorney, John Malek, sent a statement to EastIdahoNews.com demanding that the podcasters retract their false statements about Baker and publish a public apology.
Nelson responded to Baker’s attorney, saying Baker failed to identify any statements as false or explain what concerns he has about the specific content they produced.
“If Mr. Baker believes we got something wrong, he is welcome to identify the specific statement and provide the facts that correct it. Until then, we will not be intimidated by vague legal threats or deterred from speaking about matters of legitimate public interest,” according to IFAF’s statement.
Looking into the allegations, EastIdahoNews.com reviewed the 2024 Annual report shown to the chamber’s board of directors and the Form 990 filed that same year. These two documents were at the heart of some of Nelson’s allegations. Find more information about those documents at the link to the story below.
EastIdahoNews.com tried to contact the chamber to address Baker’s resignation and the allegations the podcasters leveled against the organization, but we did not receive a response. The results of the independent audit have not been released to the public.
“The Board remains committed to the Chamber’s mission of serving its members and supporting a strong business community,” a release from the chamber states. “Chamber operations will continue uninterrupted as we move forward with a leadership transition and an independent audit.”