Saukville Chamber honors its longtime leader

Chris King has been the lifeblood of the Saukville Chamber of Commerce for decades, serving as the organization’s president for the last 15 years before stepping down from the position last month.

“Pretty much every good thing that’s happened in the community for the last 20-plus years she’s had her hands in,” Mike Cosgrove, the Chamber’s executive director, said Tuesday.

King, who will continue as a member of the Chamber’s board of directors, said she’s enjoyed her years with the organization.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” she said. “But it was time to pass the torch, get some new blood.”

She saw a lot of potential in some of the Chamber members, King said, among them Lucas Farra, who succeeds her as president.

King is in many ways the consummate volunteer. She spent 10 years with the Port Washington Chamber of Commerce before joining the Saukville Chamber.

In addition, she served on the Northern Ozaukee United Way Board of Directors for some time, on the Fish Day Board of Directors for 27 years and currently serves on the Ozaukee Food Alliance Board of Directors, where she is the treasurer.

Volunteering is in her blood, she said.

“I always wanted to be involved in what was happening in the community. That’s what I enjoy the most,” King said. “I’m a local from Port Washington, and getting in on the backside of things is something I really like.”

Part of the reason she got involved in the Chamber is because of her workplace — Port Washington State Bank, where she serves as the Saukville branch manager.

“They always want us to be involved in the community,” King said, adding that her time with the Port Chamber, which no longer exists, made it easy to transition to her role with its Saukville counterpart.

King has had a hand in the Chamber’s many activities, chief among them the Saukville Scare, a run and walk that benefits the Saukville Elementary School’s free breakfast program.

King noted the program began after a previously sponsored walk and run held in conjunction with a Fire Department car show ended. To continue the tradition, she and former executive director Sherri Yandre came up with the Saukville Scare.

“It has done really well for it, and it’s fun,” King said, noting last year between 150 and 200 people registered — the highest number ever.

“I remember being excited when we had 100,” she said.

The Chamber also helps support the Live at the Triangle concert series, helps with tourism and has sponsored a variety of programs for businesses.

It started a newsletter to update members on what’s happening, something King said began as attendance at meetings and lunches decreased.

Other Chamber endeavors she’s worked on are the Saukville awards program, scholarship and the Chamber golf outing, a popular event for years that fell by the wayside during the pandemic.

One of King’s strengths, Cosgrove said, is the fact she’s dependable.

“It’s her willingness to show up for every and any event,” he said. “It could be terrible weather and she’ll be there. We had a Bags and Brews event where it was 105 degrees and she was helping serve at the bar, then filled in for someone.

“The next year a pneumonia front came through and she was still there.”

King is also a “very genuine” person who people trust, Cosgrove said.

“She cares about more than just being part of the organization,” he said. “She cares about people.”

Showing up for the events is a natural thing, King said.

“It’s a small Chamber,” she said, adding there were times when the organization had only five board members.

Key to keeping it going, she said, is an active board, a good relationship with the Village of Saukville and hiring an executive director. 

“Having Mike as executive director, he is the kind of person who takes the ball and runs with it,” she said. “Having a part-time director was perfect. We were able to make it look like we had a lot and do a lot with just a little.”