Foundation of Business Leads
Candace Carnahan has worked in the chamber world for more than 10 years—first as events and program manager, and now as president and CEO of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce. After spending fifteen years building her career elsewhere, Candace returned to her hometown of Grand Junction—the largest community between Salt Lake City and Denver. The region operates within a unique ecosystem, with one school district and a shared employer pool, presenting both challenges and opportunities. Under her leadership, the Grand Junction Area Chamber focuses on strengthening the local business community and advancing workforce development.
During her first year as Chamber President and CEO, Candace joined the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Business Leads Fellowship Program—a move that deepened her understanding of workforce development. Encouraged by colleagues and driven by a desire to strengthen her community, she joined Cohort 8 in 2023. Through the Business Leads Fellowship Program, she connected with chamber leaders nationwide who shared similar challenges and insights.
“Understanding how other chamber leaders use the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s data and resources helped me find new ways to implement programs with real impact,” she says.
Leading With a Clear Purpose
Stepping into the President and CEO role in 2022, amid the pandemic’s aftermath, was no small task. Candace and her team stayed agile, filtering through the noise to focus on what mattered most: supporting local businesses in real time. They surveyed employers and board members to identify emerging skill gaps and barriers, then realigned resources accordingly. In a period of rapid change, the chamber’s role as a convener proved more essential than ever.
Conversation, Deliberate Actions, and Convening Power
“As chambers, we have to stay alert and receptive to continuous feedback from our local employers,” Candace emphasizes.
With rapid shifts in technology and workforce needs, her team begins by clarifying definitions—ensuring that all stakeholders share a common language. For Candace, effective workforce development starts with understanding exactly what employers need and aligning those expectations with the local talent pipeline.
Candace’s team began by mapping what schools, employers, and community organizations were already doing. They discovered that isolated job fairs often diluted impact, whereas coordinated efforts produced stronger results.
Leveraging the chamber’s convening power, they organized Workforce Development Day—bringing together 1,400 high school juniors and 21 industry experts across various career paths. With ten career preparedness coaches onsite, students gained direct exposure to real career options and the confidence to plan their next steps.
“Career pathway information sharing is good for the business community,” Carnahan says. “Chambers should acknowledge that we do not have, and are not meant to have, all the answers ourselves. Our job is to make sure there are pathways and accessible information so everyone can make good choices for them.”
On monthly calls with the Business Leads Fellowship Program network, Candace eagerly exchanges ideas and translates national research into local action. She returns to Grand Junction equipped with data, tools, and a network of peers—continuing to “move the needle” for her community.
About the author
Caitlyn Aversman
Caitlyn Aversman is associate manager of K-12 education programs at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
