Former Ames, Iowa, Chamber of Commerce Vice President Eve Doi has been selected to lead the Evanston Chamber of Commerce more than three months after outgoing executive director Jonathan Perman submitted his resignation.
Perman announced he would be leaving his post Jan. 12 after 19 years at the chamber. Doi, who oversaw operations and communications in Ames, will arrive in Evanston at the beginning of May.
She said wants to increase Chamber membership and partnerships with the city, community organizations and Northwestern. Doi cited Ames, home to Iowa State University, as a prime example of her work in university relations.
“I would love to have good town-gown relations,” she said. “As a major employer and one of the biggest businesses in Evanston, there are certain opportunities and responsibilities the chamber has to serve (NU) just as any other business.”
Brooke Saucier, manager of membership, marketing and development at Evanston’s Chamber of Commerce, said he is looking forward to working under Doi and thinks he will learn a lot from her.
“She’s going to have to set up a very organized plan very quickly,” Saucier said. “No one’s going to rest while she gets used to her job and Evanston, but she’s perfectly capable of doing it.”
Doi said she recognizes that it will be a challenge to fill Perman’s role and to learn about a new community.
Originally from Highland Park, Ill., Doi attended Iowa State University and graduated in 1993. She first became involved with the Ames Chamber of Commerce seven years ago as an interim executive director and has since been in charge of communications management and government affairs.
Doi said she is looking forward to coming back to her family and friends and working in a Big Ten college town.
During his time as director of the chamber, Perman implemented what he frequently described as “transit-oriented development.” The plan aimed to increase density and height of buildings, especially downtown and around train stations.
Doi said she hopes to continue to improve the chamber’s involvement in city development.
“I really think the community of Evanston is dynamic and I really want to bring the chamber up to the same caliber the community has,” she said.
