The Club That Shines
The mission of the Diplomats Club is to promote general membership services and to enhance goodwill for the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce in the community.
Members of the Diplomats Club serve as the Chamber’s public relations team and are very active and visible within the Chamber and the business community.
With monthly breakfast meetings and seven subcommittees, membership in the Diplomats Club provides you with a number of opportunities to promote your business and serve as a vital link between the Chamber and the St. Joseph community.
Membership in the Diplomats Club is open to all Chamber members and is included in the Civic Membership category.
Apply for DIPS today with this online form.
Or print this pdf and e-mail it to howe@saintjoseph.com.
Monthly Newsletters
Sponsors:
*Presenting Sponsor — Altec Industries, Inc., John Joe Insurance and Rogers Pharmacy
2026 Officers:
Debbie Mahoney, Fairway Independent Mortgage Company
Chair
Brett Esely, St. Joseph Sports Commission and Angela Fenwick, Mosaic Life Care
Co-Vice-Chairs
Lori Wilson, Ellison-Auxier Architects
Immediate Past Chair
Chamber Staff Liaisons
Natalie Hawn, President/CEO
816/364-4107 or hawn@saintjoseph.com
Missy Howe, Programs Assistant
816/364-4102 or howe@saintjoseph.com
Details
Dues: Annual dues are $25.
Monthly Meetings: A breakfast meeting is held the second Thursday of each month (February-December) at 7:15 a.m. Locations vary. The January meeting is generally held the Thursday prior to the Annual Banquet at the St. Joseph Civic Arena.
The cost for breakfast is $12. Members can prepay for all breakfasts in advance ($132) or pay at each meeting. Diplomats are encouraged to bring a guest and/or potential member to monthly meetings.
Requirements: All Diplomats Club members should plan to do the following things:
- Attend ribbon cuttings/award ceremonies
- Attend monthly Diplomats Club meetings
- Serve on one Diplomats committee
- Help decorate for the Annual Banquet
- Attend Chamber membership events
Updates: Diplomats will receive e-mailed updates, meeting notices and reminders on a regular basis.
Name Badges: Each member is required to purchase a Diplomats name badge. The badge is to be worn when hosting, greeting or attending a ribbon cutting ceremony. Name badges are an additional $20.
Committees & Chairs
ANNUAL BANQUET COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Paul Stickler, Civic Member
VICE-CHAIR: Makenzie Mattson, Central Commodities/Core Insurance
This committee will plan the Chamber’s Annual Banquet. Participation involves a number of meetings beginning in April and continuing until the January event. There are several sub-committees to serve on: Dinner, Decorating, Entertainment and Coat Check.
BUSINESS MIXERS COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Rick Gehring, Preferred Pest Control, LLC
VICE-CHAIR: Olivia Stewart, Niche of Time Jewelry
This committee is responsible for coordinating networking events for the Chamber, assisting with set-up, registration and check-in at each event. Also, members make sure attendees are welcomed and introduced to others.
EVENTS COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Katie Joe, John Joe Insurance
VICE-CHAIR: Caleb Wells, HLC Insurance
This committee is responsible for coordinating the New Executives Welcome and the Chamber Classic, along with other special events as assigned.
HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Emily Punzo, Greub, Hulet & Schwichtenberg, PC
VICE-CHAIR: Vicki Rosmolen, BJ’s Auto Collision & Restoration, Inc.
Committee members serve as greeters for the following Chamber events: Diplomats Club meetings, Chairman’s Breakfast, Public Affairs Coffees, Business Mixers and other events throughout the year.
NEW MEMBER CONTACT COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Brett Esely, St. Joseph Sports Commission
VICE-CHAIR: Joella Schultz, Top Property Realty LLC
Committee members serve as “partners” to new Chamber members in order to get them acquainted with events and current members. As members join the Chamber, they are assigned to a committee member who keeps in contact with them, inviting them to attend events and introduce them to others. Committee members also deliver New Member Mugs.
PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE
CHAIR: Holland Smith, Performance Plus Rehabilitation Center
VICE-CHAIR: Danielle Brown, YWCA of St. Joseph
This committee will be responsible for assisting with ribbon cuttings. Coordinating community relations activities. Recruiting new Diplomats and spreading Chamber news. This committee will also work to boost the Chamber’s social media profile by liking, commenting and sharing Chamber posts on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.