Col. Falls Chamber director leads a growing city

There’s a tangible vibrancy in Columbia Falls these days.

Business is bustling along the town’s main drag. New shops have filled many once-vacant buildings. New housing complexes are springing up downtown and there’s a solid commercial corridor along U.S. 2.

Columbia Falls Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Laura Gadwa said the city’s renaissance and transition from an industrial hub to a diversified family-friendly community is a testament to the residents themselves.

“It’s a tight-knit community that really supports one another,” Gadwa said. “You don’t find that everywhere.”

Gadwa, who just turned 30, took over as executive director in May 2017, replacing Stacey Schnebel. She worked part time as member-services administrator for seven months before stepping into the full-time director’s job.

With 230 members on the Chamber’s roster and a variety of monthly functions, it’s a busy job, Gadwa said.

“But it’s neat because every day is different,” she added.

One of Gadwa’s additions to the Chamber offerings has been the “Eat and Educate” sessions that give Chamber members a chance to tell their stories and share expertise.

In April the Chamber held a first-time job fair at Columbia Falls High School, anticipating plentiful job openings with a robust Flathead Valley economy. Several businesses handed out job applications directly to students.

Another new service is a member-to-member benefits program in which Chamber members can give discounts to other members for various products and services.

The Chamber’s monthly “Business After Hours” social gathering is wildly popular these days, with business hosts booked to 2019, Gadwa said.

Right now Gadwa is busy organizing the 3-on-3 basketball tournament that is part of Heritage Days in late July. It’s a key fundraiser for the Chamber, with games for both children in grades 5 to 12 and adults.

Gadwa honed a solid work ethic early in life, growing up on a fourth-generation farm near Deer Park, Washington, north of Spokane.

“I moved irrigation [pipes] twice a day all summer,” she recalled.

The youngest of four siblings, Gadwa was active in high school sports, playing basketball and soccer. She also competed with a traveling basketball team.

She set her sights on a career in education, earning degrees in elementary and special education from the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. Gadwa’s husband Wes is from Moscow and works as the maintenance and engineering manager at Weyerhaeuser.

They spent five years in Chanute, Kansas, where Gadwa taught first and second grade. Plum Creek recruited Wes as plant engineer and they were happy to make the move back to the Northwest.

Gadwa worked for the Child Development Center for a time before joining the Chamber staff.

The couple have two daughters, Alayna, who will be 4 in August, and Lexi, who will be 2 in August.

Gadwa’s first impression of Columbia Falls was the city’s beautiful setting as the gateway to Glacier National Park.

“It’s breathtaking, especially coming from Kansas,” she said. “We noticed right away it was family-oriented. People are so welcoming.”

One of the biggest challenges of her Chamber job is making sure seasonal businesses have access to the same Chamber benefits as the year-round members.

The Chamber operates in a small visitor center near Marantette Park. Gadwa is in the center Tuesday and Thursdays and divides the rest of her time between working at home and interacting with businesses.

Gadwa also is involved in a Flathead Valley association of Chambers of Commerce that meets monthly to keep directors up to speed on what’s happening in other communities. They work together on promotions such as Small Business Saturday.

One of the biggest perks in relocating to Northwest Montana has been the ample variety of recreational activities. Gadwa said her family enjoys snowshoeing, snowmobiling and downhill skiing, and in the summer they’re out hiking, fishing or boating.

All of those activities are valuable experiences for being able to share insight with visitors anxious to experience the Columbia Falls area and beyond.

Features Editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or lhintze@dailyinterlake.com.