Photo courtesy of MACC Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce President Brad Gruhot took part in the Gold Rush Raffle at Southwest Minnesota State University. Gruhot has served as MACC president for the past 10 years.

MARSHALL — He didn’t start his career knowing he wanted to lead the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce. But after more than a decade with MACC, Chamber President Brad Gruhot said he’s loved being part of the area community.

“It’s been a great run so far. I want to do another 10 years,” Gruhot said.

In January, Gruhot marked 10 years as MACC president. There’s been a lot of change in that time, but Gruhot said he’s enjoyed serving the area business community.

Gruhot’s path to becoming Chamber president goes back to experiences working with YMCAs and communities in the Twin Cities metro area.

“I worked for the YMCA in Edina for 11 years,” Gruhot said. At that time, he was primarily in sports and recreation. “However, as in any nonprofit, you get involved with fundraising at some point.” From there, he worked in fundraising for the YMCA of the Twin Cities, and then shifted over to helping grow membership in the Southwest Metro Chamber of Commerce, and the Bloomington Chamber.

Gruhot and his family moved back to Marshall in 2014, and he started working with then-MACC president Cal Brink.

“He said, ‘Knowing your history with membership, why don’t you come in here and see if you can bump our membership,'” Gruhot said. “Cal and Karen VanKeulen did an amazing job kind of setting the framework . . . but there was also a lot of work to be done, as far as trying to find who hasn’t joined yet.”

Gruhot started working for the Chamber in 2014, and was hired as MACC president in 2016.

“I’ve always liked the Chamber work,” Gruhot said. After seeing what other Chamber executives were doing, he said, “I knew I wanted the role after Cal was moving on, and it’s worked out well. I really enjoy what I do. I truly love my job.”

Chamber membership has grown over the past 10 years, from 475 members to 656 members, Gruhot said in his most recent Chamber Connection column. “Membership for Marshall is unusually high,” and includes more than 100 businesses from outside Marshall’s ZIP code, he said.

A lot has happened for the Chamber over the past decade, Gruhot said. The MACC has moved offices twice, going from Main Street down to the corner of College Drive and Saratoga Street, and then back to Main Street. The MACC has also added new events and programs for the community. The list includes Let’s Connect – a networking event for businesspeople – and Marshall’s annual State of the City presentation. Existing Chamber programs like the Marshall Leadership Academy, and the Taste of Marshall event, have also grown, he said.

In the past 10 years, Marshall area business community has faced challenges like COVID-19 shutdowns, and seen trends like the “explosion” of in-home bakeries and other home-based businesses, Gruhot said.

“The other change is the massive amount of student memberships we’ve had,” he said. With the growth of programs like Lyon and Murray County CEO, more young people are starting their own businesses and joining the Chamber.

One of the things Gruhot said the MACC tries to do is work to help build and retain the workforce in the Marshall area.

“Trying to combat the Build Dakota program in South Dakota has been our ever-ongoing challenge,” he said.

Through it all, Marshall has had a supportive business community, he said.

Gruhot said he’s also had the chance to work with a great board of directors and coworkers at MACC, including marketing and communications coordinator Shelby Buchholz, and finance coordinator Bonnie Allen. Events specialist Sam Lund is currently the newest member of the team. He also works closely with the Marshall Economic Development Authority and the Southwest Minnesota Private Industry Council.

Gruhot said getting to work with different parts of the Marshall area community has been one of the highlights of his job.

“I like going out to network and to events, not just ours. I try to hit up our members’ open houses and grand openings, and I don’t miss many of those,” he said.