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Through volunteering in Clive, Jackie Seymour landed a newly created position as executive director of the Clive Chamber of Commerce. She is working to increase membership, facilitate communication and relationships, serve the members through their first on-site chamber — and plan her summer wedding.

Have you always lived in Iowa?

Yes, I was born and raised here. I am a native of Sioux City. I only spent five years outside the state and that is when I went to school at St. Olaf (College in Northfield, Minn.), and then I moved to the Twin Cities for about a year and a half after that.

What is your career background?

When I moved back to Sioux City, I worked primarily for the United Way. I got to know a lot of the state and local legislators through the United Way. I was ready to move out of Sioux City. I had a sister who lived in Des Moines … and a clerking position opened up the week before Christmas. I really enjoyed it; there is nothing like being a fly on the wall for that process. The gentleman I was working for became House majority leader and asked me if I wanted to join his office staff. I ran floor debates for him. Then I decided to go back into the private sector and worked for an acquisition management group for a year.

How did you get involved in Clive?

I was doing some volunteer work here in the community of Clive. About four years ago I bought my first house here. I have always been very active in the volunteer capacity and was very impressed with the Clive community, the level of service I was receiving from the city, and I just wanted to give back. I heard about a foundation board that was starting up and I got involved in that and through that I heard about this.

Is this a new position?

The Clive chamber has always been under the Greater Des Moines Partnership and completely staffed by them. Chambers were growing, having their own staff. We established our articles of incorporation in January and became an actual stand-alone organization. We still are affiliated through the Partnership, and they hired me in March. Right now I am on a part-time basis, and the intention is that when they financially have the ability to support me at a full-time level, that will happen. I look at this as a start-up. It is a small community, but it has so many positive things going on with it. We have got the 86th Street project. We do not have a real downtown or gathering place, from a business perspective. In my mind it is an eastern gateway to Clive. It is a city project, but what I am working with is facilitating the communication process with the businesses that are affected by the construction.

What are some of your other responsibilities?

We are kind of creating a new identity for ourselves. We are working on that and establishing a new marketing plan for ourselves. Clive has been working on a new branding program. I am sure the chamber will be working with that.

How did you make your first dollar?

My grandfather was a great collector of everything. He started me with a coin collection. So I suppose my very first coin dollar was through him. Otherwise, I love film and my first job was working at a little, tiny, tiny movie theater that had one screen. I worked at the concession stand. We did not have cash registers, so you had to add tax in your head.

What do you do in your spare time?

I actually have a lot of interests, but right now I am planning for my wedding. I am a fanatic about animals. I have a little Boston terrier. He is the ring bearer in our wedding, actually. Film obviously. English major – love my books. Music, I sing and play the piano. I volunteer at my church. I am on the Clive Community Foundation board. I bike, I love being outdoors. Gardening. Home improvement projects; they are not always fun but they take a lot of my time.