Kristen Keltz
Kristen Keltz, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing, LS’11
Hotel Services Group
Kristen was born and raised in Oak Harbor and moved to Skagit Valley in 1992 where she attended Skagit Valley College. She began her career in hospitality as a front desk agent in 1993 at the Best Western CottonTree Inn where she was then promoted to the Director of Sales and Marketing. As Director of Sales and Marketing, she oversaw the entire sales and marketing efforts for the hotel and convention center. Additionally, she began serving as the chairman for the Best Western Washington State Co-op sales team where she led a group of 10-15 sales directors from across the state at sales blitzes, tradeshows, and media tours.
On April 1st, 2001, Kristen accepted the President/CEO position for the Mount Vernon Chamber of Commerce where she served until July 2014. She graduated from the US Chamber’s Institute program with a certificate in Institute for Organizational Management (IOM). Kristen was very active with the Washington State Chamber of Commerce Executives during her chamber career by serving on the board for 12 years which included a term as President in 2008. Throughout the years, Kristen has represented the Chamber on the Association of Washington Board of Directors, by serving on the board of the Western Association of Chamber Executives representing Washington State, as well as serving as an active member and past president of the Skagit County Chamber of Commerce Executive Directors Association. Currently, Kristen is employed as the Senior Director of Sales and Marketing for Hotel Services Group where she oversees the sales effort for 8 hotel properties in the portfolio.
Kristen served as co-facilitator of the Leadership Skagit program for 5 years and currently assists with the Economic Vitality and Building Healthy Communities Challenge Days. She is a proud member and past president of the Mount Vernon Noon Rotary Club where she is the scholarship, vocational and educational chair on the board. Currently, Kristen is also board member of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and Boys and Girls club of Skagit County. She is an active volunteer for the Forgotten Children’s fund, a founding committee member and Emcee for the “EnVogue” Fashion Show benefiting the Friendship House, a member of the Washington Hospitality Association Government Affairs committee member, and she volunteers with the 4-H Horse Leaders. Additionally, Kristen has served as past member of the Mount Vernon Leadership Team, past member of the Skagit County Fair Advisory Board, past member of the Presidents Roundtable for Workforce Development at Skagit Valley College, Junior Achievement, and as a coordinator for the Mount Vernon Christian School Career Day among other involvement.
Kristen lives in Mount Vernon with her husband Donnie who is a partner at Wycoff Insurance in Mount Vernon. She has two amazing daughters who are her proudest accomplishments: Kylie (25) who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Law and Justice from Central Washington University and is currently a Deputy at the Skagit County Jail and recently married her firefighter husband; Melyssa (22) a recent graduate from Grand Canyon University with a major in Business Management and minor in Marketing living New York working on starting her own makeup line. To help adjust to life as an empty nester, Kristen remains active in the community emceeing events and spending time with her family and friends.