The Bend Chamber of Commerce announced on May 28 that its CEO, Katy Brooks, will step into a new role with the City of Bend on June 30. Having seen significant growth in Bend’s economy since she joined the Chamber in 2016, Brooks hopes to bring her expertise in growth and community opportunity to her new role as Economic Development Officer.
The position aligns with a new Bend City Council goal to increase community prosperity through job growth, workforce development and livable wages, according to a City of Bend press release.
This goal, Brooks said, sets the table for developing strategies and opportunities to support Bend’s economy while growing industry sectors that provide an influx of jobs and revenue into the community.
“We’re blessed with the fact that people want to live here. Our challenge is to make sure that it’s also a place where there’s opportunity to grow a business. In other words, it’s a great place to live and a great place to work and own a company or grow a company,” Brooks told the Source.
Being with the Chamber for nearly nine years, Brooks has seen how Bend’s economy has shifted and expanded. Her first impression when she started at the Chamber, she said, was feeling like she landed in a candy store.
“The amount of collaboration and opportunities – the startups, the energy of this town – is pretty profound and it’s only grown since,” she said.
Within the last several years, many organizations, companies and startups have laid roots in the area, she added, making a difference in how many locals can find a job in Bend, and how much the community is growing, both in population and economy.
“It’s why we’re ranked so high in so many of the magazines… Bend is really doing something very special, as far as building business, building companies and creating opportunities for startups all the way up through growth,” she said.
According to the Bend Chamber, it is the third-largest membership organization in Oregon, pushing solutions for businesses and the community.
The Chamber, Brooks said, has contributed to who Bend is as a community, taking on issues that other Chambers typically don’t, including childcare, the lack of affordable housing, changes in workforce development – issues that many people don’t realize have a significant economic impact. She hopes to bring some of this focus to her new role with the City.
“We are thrilled to welcome Katy to our team, bringing a wealth of deep experience in economic development in both public and private sectors to help drive our City’s vision for economic prosperity,” said City Manager Eric King in a press release.
“With a proven track record leading transformative initiatives such as establishing a workforce homeownership fund and forming the Central Oregon Business Alliance to unify regional economic forces, Katy will lead the charge in implementing innovative strategies that empower our community, strengthen our local economy, and ensure opportunities for Bend’s businesses and residents.”
While the Chamber has not yet selected a new CEO, Brooks said the Board of Directors is currently putting together a recruitment plan. According to Brooks, there will likely be more information within the next two to three weeks.
“It’s been an honor, really, to work on not just helping businesses grow and being an advocate for them, but also really getting at some of those issues that it takes collective effort to correct,” Brooks told the Source. “I’m really proud of the work this team has done… I’m sad to go and happy for the opportunity.”
This article appears in Source Weekly May 29, 2025.
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These people are all overpaid and clueless about how to manage growth in a place like Bend.
Jackson Hole. Telluride. Sun Valley. Aspen. These places align with Bend. The big difference is those towns are keeping the charm of those places that make them special. They are managing growth.
Bend? It’s a free for all with the City of Bend and Brooks Resources laying waste to this community.
Katy, what is your plan for ensuring residents have access to medical care? Dental care? Trade services? Making Bend the size of Salem without the services and infrastructure to support it is mindlessly ignorant. Sure, grow the economy, but when was the last time you tried to head up Century during the Summer? Do you drive around Bend? Ask people who are moving here how long they have to wait to find primary care!!! Wake up.
Katy you were wonderful with updates during Lockdown, many congrats on your new position!
Katy’s degree is in Communications. For someone to head up our Economic Development Department, we need someone who has an academic background in economics, finance and the like. Communications?!