WCAC welcomes new Executive Director

Dianne Dronet is a home grown Sulphur fixture, having worked for the Chamber Southwest for the last five years. Dronet has now moved over to the West Calcasieu Association of Commerce (WCAC), where she will be taking over the position of Executive Director as outgoing Director Janice Ackley moves on into her new position as Regional Director for the American Heart Association. With this new position, Dronet has brought with her a bevy of ideas that she’s looking to implement in the future.
The Southwest Daily News recently sat down with Dronet at the Association's office on Maplewood Drive and discussed her plans.

Q: Are you from this area, originally?
A: Yes, I was raised in Sulphur. I was born in Crowley and moved here when I was two years old. I’ve been very involved in the community. I worked with the Sulphur Jaycees.

Q: What was the Sulphur Jaycees?
A: They were a professional organization for business men. They have a local level, a regional, state, and national level. I worked all the way up to the national position. I was the state treasurer with Ronnie Johns, we worked together, and then I worked my way up to national program manager for Saint Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
I’ve been very active in Girl Scouts and schools. I went to work for Boys Village for a time as their marketing and relations person. I did several political campaigns. I went to work at the Chamber Southwest, and then came here.
This place has always been my passion. This is where I'm from, and I see so much potential in the West Calcasieu area. There’s so much more that we could be doing for our members.

Q: What do you mean by that?
A: Small business - I feel that they need extra research opportunities, where they can go for grants or assistance. They need the help so that they can thrive.

Q: What are your views on local small business development?
A: I think it’s important that we shop Sulphur and Westlake and Vinton first. I think it’s important that we take care of our own people before we start going somewhere else. I think our membership is around 200. With us being Sulphur, Vinton and Westlake, there is lots of room
for growth. It’s a better association when you have more strength, when you have more members.

Q: What are some of the things you’re going to do as Executive Director?
A: I would like to start a networking committee, where anyone can come in and network and learn who’s who in the area. I would also like to start a small business committee, as well. That’s really important. Small business, but also big business and industry, can benefit.

Q: How are you going to bring the skills you’ve used in past positions to bear in your new position with the West Calcasieu Association of Commerce?
A: My job at the Chamber was the Member Relations Director, and I was also the Committee Liason. I took care of all the problems. If anyone had a complaint or if they felt they weren’t getting their money’s worth for what they were paying for membership, then I would talk with them.
And then there are committees; I think committees are vital to work with the Association. You have Governmental Affairs and Infrastructure. That’s a very important thing. The people in this area
need to know where their money’s going, they need to know what’s going on at the state capital, what’s going on nation-wide, what’s going on with all the issues that we’re supposed to be supporting.
One of my things is to get the Governor here, not to Lake Charles, not to DeRidder, but here, to West Cal. Let him speak to us.