Lauren Tice is Leaving Temple Terrace Chamber

Lauren Tice has reached a bittersweet moment in her career.

On one hand, she’s excited about a new opportunity in event planning. On the other, she’ll miss the members of the Greater Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce who she’s come to know as family.

“I’m very excited, but I’m very sad to leave as well,” she said.

Tice, 29, will leave her position as the chamber’s coordinator of member services on April 5. She’ll begin a new job as event assistant at The Regent, a special events venue in Riverview, on April 8.

“It is hard to leave though because everyone’s just so nice, and it is really just a wonderful organization,” she said of the chamber.

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Tice grew up in Temple Terrace and began working at the chamber in January 2009. Cheri Donohue was the executive director of the organization at that time, and she and the chamber board hired Tice as the administrative assistant.

“Lauren knows Temple Terrace and can connect residents to businesses,” Donohue said. “She is also a person who wanted to connect people and in her job at the chamber she did just that. When she started, I told her that there would be no question left unanswered by us—meaning that if we did not know the answer to a customer’s query, we would find it and call them back. She took that to heart, and I’m sure that mindset helped her and the chamber, as well.”

Tice started out handling the day-to-day office work, like answering the phone and mailing letters.

“That kind of evolved into me starting the social media aspect and with events, and working with members,” she said.

She was promoted to coordinator of member services last September.

“Lauren has enabled the chamber to progress in the world of social media,” said Barbara Sparks-McGlinchy, the chamber’s current executive director. “There was little or no social media through the chamber when she arrived four years ago, and now she keeps the chamber in the public eye every day through this medium.

“Lauren manages the chamber’s Facebook page, LinkedIn, and she ‘tweets’ on a daily basis. She creates the weekly Constant Contact eblasts apprising the members of the events for the week. She has really brought us into the 21st century in technology.”

While working at the chamber, Tice enrolled at the University of South Florida and graduated in December 2011 with her bachelor’s degree in communication. The very next month, she started her own business, LNT Social Media Training, helping clients grow their businesses using social media.

She joined the chamber through her business, and said she’ll remain a member. As for the business itself, Tice said she plans to work with her current clients on a part-time basis, but she won’t be focusing on getting new clients.

“I’m going to see how it goes,” she said. “I really just want to focus on the new job once I’ve started.”

The Regent, which specializes in weddings and other special events, is close to Tice’s Riverview home. In her new position, she’ll act as support to the executive director. She’ll also handle event design and management and work with brides to make sure they have everything they need for their ceremonies and/or receptions.

“Lauren is a real people person—she knew all our members by name,” said Phil Lentsch, immediate past president of the chamber and owner of Office Dynamics. “I wish her the best of luck in her new job.”

Sparks-McGlinchy echoed those sentiments.

“I have enjoyed working with Lauren very much,” she said. “It has been a pleasure to come to work every day and interact with her and I will miss her.”

But Tice said she won’t be a stranger to Temple Terrace. In addition to continuing her chamber membership through LNT Social Media Training, she said she plans to be involved in the chamber’s Young Elite Professionals (YEP) and Women Mean Business groups.

She also plans to continue participating in annual community events like the Strawberry Classic. And she’ll be in town to visit her parents, and her sister, who all live in Temple Terrace.

“I’ll still be around,” she said.

On April 4, Tice will be one of four panelists at the chamber’s Social Media Lunch & Learn, 11:30 a.m., at the University of Phoenix.

It will be her last chamber event as a staff member.

“I’m just going to miss everyone so much,” she said.

See also:

• LNT Social Media Training Ready to Help Businesses Grow
• Chamber Women Learn About Social Media
• Video Creates 3 Local Stars
• Lauren Tice Graduates from USF
• Chamber Coordinator Runs 1st 5K