Alastar Dimitrie

The first time I entered the Greater Ishpeming Negaunee Area Chamber of Commerce, it was to deliver a case of Marquette County waterfall maps. I never would have guessed that, a few years later, I’d be working there. Cut to August 2021 and I am doing just that in the role of Marketing & Events Coordinator.

I graduated from the University of Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and notions of becoming an archeologist. When I realized that the job market for archeologists wasn’t exactly booming, I changed tack and picked up a master’s degree in classical acting from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. As it happens, jobs are pretty scarce for actors as well.

If degrees are to be regarded as business decisions, the casual observer might be inclined to say that I’ve made a couple of questionable ones. Why should someone like me, with my apparent lack of business savvy, be employed by an organization dedicated to serving the business community?

My answer to that, at the risk of coming across as insufferably pompous, is that I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to become a more effective storyteller. I don’t mean the part of storytelling that involves making stuff up, which was never really an interest of mine. I mean the part of storytelling that is about conveying information in such a way that people want to listen. There are all kinds of interesting and very real things going on in the West End and I am looking forward to helping share those stories.

I’ve lived in a number of places in my adult life, but have always returned to Marquette County. The beauty of the landscape, the warmth of the people and possibly the magnetism of all that iron in the ground have kept me coming back.

The last time I lived in the area, I worked at Travel Marquette. If you called the office or stopped by, we may have met. You may have also heard my voice in radio ads. Perhaps I delivered a box of Travel Guides or other literature to your business.

I am very much looking forward to working with Bob and the GINCC Board of Directors on behalf of all of our members. I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the GINCC’s efforts to support the local businesses that keep West End communities strong.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Alastar Dimitrie is the Marketing & Events Coordinator at the GINCC. He currently resides in Marquette with his partner Kaitlyn and their cat family. He enjoys hiking, painting, reading and recipes involving rhubarb.