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BUSINESS IS HER BUSINESS
Beattie serves as Manteca chamber’s executive
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Joann Beattie has been serving as the Manteca Chamber of Commerce Executive Director since February of 2014.

“I wanted this position because I love business and for seven years I served as an ambassador for the chamber,” she said.

Prior to taking over the business organization that is located at 183 West North Street, Beattie served Agape Village Foster Care as senior vice president for resources and development.

Beattie, besides working to promote business, oversees a number of community events including the holiday parade and Christmas in the Park earlier this month.

Beattie said the chamber is successful thanks to volunteers like Leo DeGroot who spent last Sunday morning at Library Park taking down the tall light poles that he fashioned himself. DeGroot is the incoming chamber president. 

The chamber is taking over the Crossroads Street Fair from the now defunct Manteca Convention and Visitors’ Bureau. It is an event the chamber started more than 21 years ago.

The chamber will not be bringing back the Market & Music at Library Park next summer due to a proliferation of farmers markets in the area. The organization will be adding a Business Showcase that will be kicked off next May.  It is yet to be determined where the showcase will be held.

The frequency of the Business Showcase will be one a month over four months, she noted. 

“We’re going to invite chamber business members to participate with their products in the Business Showcase at no charge,” she said. 

Beattie is a mom four times over with two boys and two girls – all adults. 

“They are all good kids with big hearts,” she said.  “I’m really proud of all of them.”

Daughter Melanie lives in the Philippines where she has developed on online teaching program she uses to teach Japanese the English language.  Her online school employs four teachers. 

Daughter Teresa also teaches English and works at her sister’s online school.  She is the oldest of the children and offers online classes to students in China as well.

Son Brian graduated from East Union and lives in Vancouver, British Columbia where he works as a city planner.  He earned his Bachelor’s Degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, where he also received his Masters Degree.

Son Michael also graduated from East Union earning a degree in Philosophy, also at Cal Poly, and currently manages a retail clothing store in Eureka.

“(This Christmas) is the first time in five years we will all be together,” she noted.

In addition to her children, her mother two brothers are also coming to celebrate Christmas along with six grandchildren: Andrew, Mathew, Jack, Rosslayn, Beverly and Emily.

“We play games like the white elephant games – I get the gifts,” she said. We play a money game like, “Left, Right, Center.”

Beattie had lived in Manteca for 30 years before joining the foster family agency. She had owned the Manteca Janitorial Supply Company. 

“My goal is to make this the best chamber of commerce ever,” Beattie said. “I have lots of ideas.  If business is thriving, the community will thrive.”

Beattie organizes the monthly chamber newsletter and writes her “Message from the CEO” religiously, updating the business community that she welcomes to scheduled Wednesday morning coffee klatches held at different member businesses.

To contact Glenn Kahl, email gkahl@mantecabulletin.com.