Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rhonda Kelley. (Submitted photo)

LEWISTOWN — Career choices can lead an individual down many paths. For some, those choices can lead to years of regret. For others, they become the yellow brick road. At some point on that road, the dreams of youth are not only realized, they are lived and experienced.

For Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rhonda Kelley, the path was visualized in her late teens.

“My interest in business and the local economy began in high school when I chose a business-focused path,” Kelley said. “That interest deepened after landing my first job out of high school in retail, working for one of the most passionate business owners I’ve ever known, Jim Tunall of Tom Johnson’s Shoe Store.”

Tunall provided the community service blueprint for others to follow. He was a businessman, a member of the Lewistown Rotary Club and Downtown Lewistown, Inc., along with many other community organizations. He served on several advisory boards and as the executive director of the Juniata River Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau from 2005 to 2016.

“Jim taught me how vital local businesses are to a community and its economy, and I cherished every minute spent learning under his mentorship,” Kelley said. “As fate would have it, Jim and I later had the opportunity to work together at the Chamber until his untimely passing. That early love for business and community has only grown during my years at the Chamber. With time, my passion to see our local communities thrive has grown exponentially.”

When Tunall passed away in 2016, Kelley accepted the task of replacing him, drawing on his passion and her own experience.

“I currently serve as the executive director, a position I have held for the past nine and a half years,” she said. “Prior to that, I spent 12 years as the Chamber’s administrative coordinator.”

Growing up in Juniata River Valley, Kelley always felt it was home. There was no yearning to set out and explore the world and find a new life.

“I was born and raised in Mifflin County, with deep family roots in both Mifflin and Juniata Counties,” she said. “I grew up in the country and enjoyed a childhood filled with life’s simple pleasures, hikes and picnics, catching lightning bugs, sledding and ice skating, and, when my mom wasn’t looking, backyard tackle football with my brother and cousins.”

Kelley decided early on that a football career could wait. She graduated from Chief Logan High School and began working in retail.

“It was there that my appreciation for the hard work, dedication and courage it takes for entrepreneurs to open and sustain a business truly began to grow,” she said.

Her family grew, too.

“I married young and had the joy of raising four children,” Kelley said. “Today, my life is happily full with eight grandchildren, my husband Blain, and our two dogs, Finley and Murphy, my constant companions who even travel to work with me each day.”

Nearly a decade in the position of executive director, Kelley’s roots in the local community provide the enthusiasm and determination. She is a positive leader who spearheads the drive for improvement, much like her predecessor.

“I am one of the biggest cheerleaders in our community,” she said. “I love that we are nestled within the mountains, with the Juniata River winding its way through our towns. I love that neighbors still help neighbors and that we come together to celebrate our unique local traditions and holidays. I love that the baristas at the local coffee shop know “my usual,” and that people smile and greet one another as they pass on the street. Our community is rich in history, from the brave soldiers of the Logan Guard to General Frank McCoy, our founding mother Dorcas Buchanan, and so many other hard-working individuals who gave their time, energy, and resources to create and protect the place we proudly call home.”

Kelley’s patriotism and respect for history are at the core as she goes about her duties.

“I have the privilege of writing a bi-weekly column for the Lewistown Sentinel,” she said. “Recently, I wrote an article titled “Shop Local as an Act of Patriotism.” The heart of that piece was the idea that when we shop local, during the holiday season and throughout the year, we are participating in something far greater than a simple exchange of money for goods. It is a small but powerful act of patriotism, supporting self-reliance, community pride and the neighbor-to-neighbor support that helped build this country. Mifflin and Juniata Counties were shaped by generations of small business owners who took risks, worked with their hands, served their neighbors, and built the economy from the ground up. That entrepreneurial spirit is still alive today, in family-owned bookstores, coffee shops, pottery studios, hardware stores, boutiques and restaurants. It is truly an honor, as chamber director, to serve and support these dedicated business owners as well as local industry and our vital non-profit organizations.”

As executive director, Kelley must look to the future while keeping contact with and preserving the past. The spirit in which she works is truly one of love and appreciation for our nation.

“I believe we live in the most beautiful country on earth,” she said. “I have traveled from coast to coast and visited several countries around the world, and none compare, in my opinion, to the United States. I also believe our nation was founded on Godly principles. While it has been led at times by imperfect men, they were men who valued freedom and liberty so deeply that they were willing to risk their lives to ensure those blessings endured for future generations.”

As a community leader, she is always looking for ways to make improvements, locally and nationally.

“I often reflect on the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who said, “We are a nation of many nationalities, many races, many religions, bound together by a single unity–the unity of freedom and equality.” Those words feel especially needed today,” Kelley said. “Somewhere along the way, I believe we stopped focusing on what unites us and began fixating on what divides us. My hope and prayer, both as a citizen and a community leader, is that we become more tolerant, more compassionate, and more understanding of those who may not look like us or believe as we do. We are all Americans, and we must act like it. If each of us chose kindness today, one small act or one encouraging word, we could begin stitching the fabric of this beautiful country back together. When we choose kindness, support our neighbors, and invest in our communities, we honor both our shared past and our collective future. I believe deeply that strong communities build a strong nation, and I am proud to live, work and serve in a place where that belief is still alive every day.”

Kelley will mark 10 years as chamber executive director later this year and there are many memorable achievements to reflect upon during her tenure. Her leadership has guided the creation of programs that support and strengthen the business community.

“I am especially proud of the role I played in developing our Entrepreneurial Meet Ups,” she said. “These gatherings were designed with a simple but powerful goal: to support local entrepreneurs by giving them a space to connect, exchange ideas, seek advice, and grow both personally and professionally. Watching relationships form, collaborations take shape, and confidence grow has been incredibly rewarding.”

Along with the meet ups, Kelley has overseen the creation of the Chamber Leadership Institute, annual Women’s Conferences and the growth of the Chamber itself.

“I am proud that the Chamber is the largest it has ever been,” she said. “Our growth has allowed us to provide even more opportunities for networking, professional development, and collaboration, while continuing to advocate strongly for our members and the broader community we serve. Together, these accomplishments reflect a Chamber that is focused not just on growth, but on people, leadership, and lasting impact.”

For 250 years, America has been a nation of individual communities banding together for the national cause. It is grassroots. Formed from the ground up with passion and strong leadership.

In Kelley’s own words, “Great leaders don’t just manage. They move and inspire, creating positive change in their workplaces and throughout their communities.”

As for Patriots?

“To me, a Patriot is someone who does everything within their power and sphere of influence to support their country,” she said. “That can look as simple as choosing to buy products made in the United States, or as profound as placing oneself in harm’s way to defend and protect our freedoms from those who would seek to destroy them.”

Count Rhonda Kelley among the Patriots.