Vicki Gardner, whose tenure as executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce saw a dramatic increase in membership, but which was marked permanently by a senseless shooting of two journalists and her four years ago, is leaving the job at the end of August.
She has been with the organization for 17 years and watched as the chamber grew from 187 members to more than 750, mostly due to Gardner’s initiatives in creating a huge list of volunteers, major events, sponsorships and a staff which she calls “exceptional.” She did not intend for this to be a career, originally looking to “help out” for about six months, she says. The goal, she is quoted as saying in a press release, was “getting the train back on its tracks before moving on to a real job.”
Gardner was shot in the back during the double murder of WDBJ7 reporter Alison Parker and camera operator Adam Ward as they reported on a chamber event in August of 2015, interviewing Gardner when the shooting began.
Gardner served as president of the Virginia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and on the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Awards earned over the years include the Virginia’s Blue Ridge 2016 Tourism Ambassador Award, Virginia Chamber’s Resilience Award, Grand Lodge Mason’s Community Builders Award and Virginia Institute’s Economic Development Award.
One of Gardner’s crowning achievements was creating of the Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival, which attracts more than 10,000 people each September. She has also created the Lake Business Expo, the Fall Chili and Craft Festival and the Lake Pirate Days.
Gardner plans to help her husband, Tim Gardner, with his lake-based home inspection business. She says, “I plan to remain involved with the chamber, in government affairs and various community projects such as the proposed Smith Mountain Lake Center and passenger rail stop in Bedford.”
About the Writer:
Dan Smith is an award-winning Roanoke-based writer/author/photographer and a member of the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame (Class of 2010). His blog, fromtheeditr.com, is widely read and he has authored seven books, including the novel CLOG! He is founding editor of a Roanoke-based business magazine and a former Virginia Small Business Journalist of the Year (2005).
