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- [S106] The Mountain Press, 24 May 2010.
Clabo marks 25 years with chamber of commerce
by BOB MAYES
Nancy Clabo works at her desk at the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce. Clabo celebrated 25 years with the chamber on May 15.
SEVIERVILLE — When Nancy Clabo joined the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, there were two employees — her, and the director Ruby Fox, and both of them were cramped into a tiny office that would seem almost seem like a broom closet compared to the agency’s present-day spacious digs.
When Clabo signed on as the late Fox’s secretary 25 years ago — May 15, 1985 to be exact — her title was secretary, although the job demand she be a jackie of all trades. She used a manual typewriter and had an old-fashioned ledger to do payroll and track the chamber’s expenses.
And way back when, the chamber had only about 285 members, whose dues were the only source of income. Sevierville was much smaller and, without a lot incoming money, promoting the city was done on a much smaller scale.
“Things have changed a lot,” Clabo, whose title is now comptroller, said last week at her office in the Sevierville Municipal Complex. “Now we have two offices — this one and the Welcome Center out on Highway 66. We have 14 employees — five full-time and nine part-time.
“Back in those days, I helped the director with whatever she needed. I did the book-keeping, answered the phone, helped with correspondence ... pretty much did whatever it took because there were just the two of us.”
Clabo, a 1967 Sevier County High School graduate who went on to earn a degree in sociology from the University of Tennessee, smiles broadly as she rattles off more of the changes she has seen in her quarter of a century.
Computers are a major difference, although hardly the only one. Membership has doubled to almost 600 and the dues are higher (although members get many more benefits, she said) and the chamber has become something of a de facto tourism department for the city, with a contract to promote Sevierville far and wide.
There is specialization at the office, with departments for, among other things, marketing, group sales, membership and accounting, all functioning under Executive Director Brenda McCroskey.
Over the years, Clabo said, the chamber has grown with the city. The city has more tourism and more events — and some events have been started and died on the vine because they simply became too large for the space they needed, specifically mentioning the Apple Festival and Balloon and Bluegrass Festival.
Tourist attractions abound from the Tennessee Smokies professional baseball team near the interstate to the Chinese acrobats on Collier Boulevard and a multitude — too many to name — in between on Highway 66 and the Parkway.
Now, among the crown jewels, are the Winterfest and the Bloomin’ BBQ and Bluegrass Festival which, last weekend in its sixth year, drew a record 30,000 visitors.
“One of the things I truly love about working here is the teamwork,” Clabo said. “We’re like a big family working together. The reason the things we do are so successful is because we work as a team.”
Another thing she loves about her job is meeting different kinds of people.
“I don’t get to work with the tourists as much as I did way back then, and I really miss that,” she said. “I got to meet a lot of interesting people from all over. But I still get to meet a lot interesting people. We have a lot of great people on our board who are very interesting.”
Away from the chamber, Clabo’s life is centered around family. Her husband, Darris, is the trails supervisor for the national park, and they live in Wears Valley, not far from her son James Quilliams and his family.
She loves to fish in a pond on their property, reads when she gets the chance (although she says she’s more of an “outdoors person”) and likes gardening vegetables and some flowers. Clabo’s real joy, though, comes from spending time with her 12-year-old granddaughter Sarah.
“I love to go places with her,” she said with a large smile. “There’s nothing like having a granddaughter. I love to take her shopping and she travels with us.”
And to where does an executive who makes her living helping to promote a city near the Great Smoky Mountains?
“The beach,” Clabo said without a moment’s hesitation. “I wouldn’t trade the mountains for anything, but I absolutely love going anywhere there’s a beach.”
bmayes@themountainpress.com
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Groom's Name Bride's First Name Bride's Maiden Name County Date of Marriage File #
CLABO DARRIS B NANCY E [NOT GIVEN] SEVIER 08-10-1984 35263
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