Romeoville Area Chamber of Commerce Sanabria As New President, CEO

ROMEOVILLE, IL — The Romeoville Chamber of Commerce is under new leadership after a local professional with years of managing not-for-profit organizations was recently named as the chamber's new top executive.

Joel Sanabria has been named as the chamber's president and CEO and replaces Kristine Kuchler, who worked actively with Romeoville businesses as they navigated a new way of doing business during the COVID-19 pandemic, the chamber announced on Thursday.

Sanabria, a New York native, brings years of professional experience in nonprofit management, creative design, social service, marketing, and fundraising development, the chamber said in a news release. Sambria has held several positions in the nonprofit field, most recently as the executive director of the Pontiac360 Life Center (Salvation Army) in Pontiac, Illinois.

“I am excited for this great opportunity to be a part of the Romeoville Area Chamber of Commerce and use my skills and expertise to help keep moving the Chamber forward, strengthen current chamber partnerships and cultivate valuable new ones,” Sanabria said in a news release.

The Romeoville Area Chamber of Commerce said in the release it has been listening to its members and the community and is taking steps to be of better service, including a recently updated website and bringing on several new board members.

“Joel joins the Romeoville Area Chamber of Commerce at a very exciting time, and we can’t wait for him to lead the Chamber in a new, innovative direction,” Yolanda Farmer, chairperson for the Romeoville Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors said in the release. “Our new CEO was found by the Board of Directors to carry out the vision of the Board and Village to better serve the community.”

Sanabria relocated to the Chicago suburbs in 2012. He and his wife live in Gardner. He has a Graduate Diploma in Urban Leadership from Devos Urban Leadership Initiative in Grand Rapids, Mich., a Bachelor of Science in Media Communications from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Regent University in Virginia Beach.