HUNTLEY – On January 3, 2022, accomplished businesswoman Nancy Binger began her first day as Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce. She took an interest in the position because, as a Huntley resident since 2008, she has an invested interest in the success of the businesses in the area. Her husband is a small business owner and so, Binger has been involved near and around the Chamber for some time now.
She has accumulated a skillset of celebrating and promoting people and organizations, and decided it would be worthwhile to use her talents to help businesses at the Chamber.
Nancy Binger. (Photo provided)
âI believe that all the businesses in our community are a unique piece of the full puzzle,â said Binger. âI want to make sure each business is involved and connected and can exemplify their unique gifts, services, and products to the community.â
Nancy Binger has an impressive professional resume, most recently of which is her 15-month stint as Executive Director at Gigiâs Playhouse. This organization has fifty locations in the U.S. and Mexico, and serves as an achievement center for people with Downâs syndrome. As a parent of a child with Downâs, she brought a personal touch to the position and learned a lot in return, particularly in events, marketing, and technology.
Binger had nothing but praise for her former employer, saying they did things at âthe highest level.â She believes her time there will serve her well at the Chamber and claims that in her first two weeks, sheâs already begun implementing the things she learned there.
She also worked at Judson University for a number of years, starting in the athletic department and gradually working her way up to Vice President. Binger oversaw many facets of administrative responsibility, including financial aid, marketing, admissions, and athletics.
Her proudest professional achievement is the creation and implement of the Rise Program at Judson, which assists students with intellectual disabilities. This was particularly meaningful to Binger because it helped her realize that differently abled people, like her son, had so much to offer and could contribute to the world if they only had the opportunity to succeed.
âJudson is a great school, but it was cool to be a part of something that made it distinct,â said Binger. âCreating that program for the students was the most rewarding thing because in the past, higher education was only for people with high academic skills. To change my mindset, to think that higher education should be for everyone, was mind blowing for me.
Binger co-created a non-profit with her brothers, named JMS Youth Sports Foundation, after her fatherâs initials. Her dad coached his entire adult life, but he didnât throw himself into this passion until retirement. He sadly passed away two years ago and his children created the organization in his honor after discovering how much he helped his young athletes play sports at the level they could. The JMS Youth Sports Foundation assists these young people by raising money to pay for equipment, camp fees, and college tuition scholarships.
As if all that responsibility wasnât enough, Nancy Binger is also the co-owner of Binger Chiropractic with her husband. She will be formally welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce on January 29th at the annual Chamber dinner.
