As NKY Chamber’s vice president of talent strategies, Nancy Spivey is building relationships across the region

By Andy Furman
NKyTribune staff writer

She says she loves Northern Kentucky, and it’s easy for her to talk about it.

And, that’s exactly what Nancy Spivey did this week as guest of the Covington Rotary Club’s weekly luncheon at the Radisson Hotel.

As vice-president of talent strategies for the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, Spivey has much to talk about.

“We build relationships,” she told the Northern Kentucky Tribune. “We are volunteer driven, and have CEOs as well as young professionals serving.”

Founded in 1969, the mission is to promote and support the development of strong businesses and a vibrant economy in the Northern Kentucky region.

And how is that done?

“Through leadership and advocacy, resulting in a better quality of life for all,” Spivey said. “And we do this in collaboration with many community partners. We rely on a lot of people and we work together.”

With over 1,750 members, the Northern Kentucky Chamber believes the presence, contributions, and perspectives of all are essential to building a thriving and inclusive business community.

“We’re Northern Kentucky’s leading business organization,” she said, “Made up of all business types and sizes whether small, mid-size, or large. Our members are doers, whether blue chip or blue-collar.

Spivey said the NKYChamber has something for everyone, small business — should they need customers; larger business – perhaps for solving problems or assistance finding employees; or a non-profit agency that needs help building community relationships.

“The chamber exists to be their voice of the business community,” said Spivey. “We are here to connect businesses to government, education, and nonprofits To create and promote a strong business climate.

The Chamber also has four Business Councils – Erlanger, Florence, Fort Thomas and Newport – to do programs within cities, Spivey said.

“We’re talking to other communities to add,” she said.

So why join?

Spivey was quick with that answer.

“Health care,” she said. “We hope we can save businesses money. We also have payroll partners, for a saving in payroll expenses; and we can pool resources and offer 401K plans for businesses.”

The Chamber organizes more than 130 events yearly. “In 2000,” Spivey said, “We only had about 60. Volunteers have made the difference.”

The top member industries in the Chamber are:

“I was young and naïve in 2000 when I joined the Chamber,” Spivey admitted to the lunch crowd. “And I was a bit shell-shock coming to Northern Kentucky.”

As a graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond – and raised in rural Bright, Indiana — perhaps she was in awe of Northern Kentucky, its population and business.

“I met a whole new group of energized and enthusiastic people when I got here,” she said.

And she put them to work to energize the region.