New Member Profile: Lane Leaders Association
Meet Malia Martin, Association Manager for the Lane Leaders Association. To welcome the Association as a new member of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce, we recently spoke with Malia to find out more about her and the organization.
Tell us a little about the Lane Leaders Association.
Lane Leaders Association is the largest and longest-running category-exclusive business networking organization in Lane County. We currently have 120 businesses, and around 250 individual members from all industries in our local community. Above all, we provide opportunity.
Where and how did you get your start in this industry?
My role as Association Manager has been an amazing professional opportunity. My background is in marketing and events management, and I take pride in my ability to be a connecter. I have always had a passion for people and supporting local businesses. I started as an associate member when I worked for Columbia Bank, so I had background into the services and offerings of Lane Leaders. Rhonda Hendricks, the previous executive director, served the Association for more than 35 years and upon her retirement, I was approached to fill the position. I felt very humbled that the leadership team recognized my gifts and talents; the opportunity to work with and support entrepreneurs, owners, managers, and decision makers continuously blows me away.
What should the community know about the services and opportunities provided by the Lane Leaders Association?
Lane Leaders is membership based, and it provides businesses with exclusivity – meaning we have only one type of business for each category, such as one bank, one mechanic, one attorney, etc. We are so proud to be aligned with businesses who have longevity in our area. In 2022, we added 24 new businesses to the Association. Around 40% of our member businesses have been members for over 10 years. Our oldest member business is Lane Community College, which has been a part of the Association for 50 years.
We offer a huge variety of benefits and resources to our members. We host weekly breakfast meetings where attendance averages 70-100 people! The energy and engagement with our members is one of my favorite parts of my job. At these meetings, people can network, learn more about member businesses, learn relevant information such as business development from our member business, the Lane Community College Small Business Development Center, and also hear programming from our various community partners, including the Springfield Chamber President & CEO Vonnie Mikkelsen. I consider Lane Leaders a place that combines business and fun. Relationship building is a critical aspect to business growth. Our monthly after-hours events are free to members and it’s a great time to connect. I also act as a referral source to our members, so I really like going to various networking events to just meet people and learn about their businesses and passions.
What do you like most about your work?
My favorite part of my job is building authentic relationships, and seeing people grow. I also have a huge support system from the Board of Directors; I have access to a pool of amazingly talented and knowledgeable people. I love the opportunity to equally lead AND serve others.
I wear many hats as part of my service to the Association. As the manager, I provide one-on-one consulting services, marketing and communications development, collaborative project management, and work to continually provide added value to our member businesses.
Do you have any advice for others?
Shop and support local! Investing in area businesses is vital to our community’s growth. Lane County is a beautiful place to live and do business; investing your dollars into our community provides the beautiful diversity of businesses in Lane County.
Anything else you’d like to share?
“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen.” – Brene Brown
Lane Leaders Association is a category-exclusive business networking group for Lane County, with a rich history of bringing together top area business leaders for networking, connection, and fun.
