(Shown with the Great Pumpkin are Chamber Ambassador Teri Jansen, and — in dinosaur costumes — Membership/Finance Director Evelina Davidson and Events Director Amanda Joe Luelling | Photo courtesy of Visit Redmond Oregon)
As Executive Director of the Redmond Chamber of Commerce since 1999, Eric Sande has had a front-row seat in observing the town’s evolution into one of the fastest-growing industrial and residential communities in Oregon. “In looking back, the most mind-blowing aspect of the past 25 years has been the growth of Redmond’s potential, its prosperity, and its new businesses. This is in addition to sheer number of people who live here: from 13,500 in 2000 to 37,000 in 2024,” he said, or an increase of 23,500 new residents.
“Interestingly, 75 percent of those who relocate to Redmond (both individuals and businesses) have vacationed in the area first, and say to themselves, ‘I would like living here.’ Yet despite Redmond’s evolution, he observed, and all the changes that have taken place, we still have a sense of community, and watch out for each other.” As Mayor Ed Fitch said recently, “There is such a strong sense of heart here.”
Sande recalled that “back in 1992 when I was hired to work at the Chamber’s front desk (subsequently being promoted to its economic development team, and then to his current position), we had around 7,800 residents and far fewer urban amenities such as stoplights and other services.”
“Yet already there was a very optimistic, enthusiastic feeling — which continues to characterize Redmond despite its constant growth and upward trajectory. It’s a fun challenge to meet the demands of growth without changing that sense of caring.”
Sande pointed to “housing, water, education and a host of other issues (that) keep City officials, local organizations and interest groups busy. And in true Redmond fashion,” he said, “each of these challenges is met with a spirit of excitement and positivity that will continue to drive the town’s outcomes.”
Praised for his “knowledge, his experience and his workability with the city and other community leaders,” Sande has taken on dozens of leadership roles during the past 25 years. “His presence in the community — the time and energy he puts into all of it — is just amazing,” said one admirer.
For instance, when he assumed the Chamber’s top job — motivated by the fact that “there weren’t a lot of community traditions” — Sande “started to create events for the memories and sense of place they inspire,” including concerts, parades, festivals, and seasonal celebrations such as Redmond’s annual Trick-or-Treat on 6th Street (where he can be found greeting children as the Great Pumpkin).
Another example is how Sande, according to a Chamber board member, motivates “a team of volunteers to decorate Redmond’s downtown core with more than 400 boxes of Christmas lights each November.”
Sande himself is a little amazed at the longevity of these activities. “Those who sat on my knee when I started as the Great Pumpkin now have kids of their own,” he said.
As for the Chamber of Commerce, an institution for more than 100 years, Sande noted that it has grown to become one of the largest chamber of commerce in Oregon, per capita. “Even back in 1999, Redmond’s Chamber was proportionately a large one, and despite its current size, our goal remains keeping people connected and in touch. We currently have 624 members, and the great majority of the town’s businesses belong.”
Sande particularly empathizes with fledgling entrepreneurs. “Starting a new business is terrifying,” he said, “and the Chamber is committed to helping owners get through their initial three years, or the first hurdle to success.” (According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 40 percent of businesses fail within the first three years.)
Sande added that “even during the 2019 economic downturn and then COVID, we kept people as members even if they couldn’t afford to pay membership dues. We wanted to help our local businesses get through uncertain times.”
No wonder that, as Jon Stark of EDCO noted, “Eric has built one of the most loyal and participative chamber membership populations in the state of Oregon.”
Sande is quick to lavish collective praise for the town’s achievements, saying in his 2023 “State of the City” address that: “Redmond has always had strong leadership, forged from the commitment of the citizens who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get involved. We’re a can-do community, and continually looking for ways to make the community the best it can be.”
