Lester Cooper – President
Lester was born in England and immigrated to Canada in January of 1965. He and his wife Carol moved to Seattle February 1971. Lester’s work experience includes 21 years of service with PACCAR followed by a number of years working for News International and as an independent consultant in various process industries. Lester retired from General Electric as Director for International Business Development and Manufacturing Execution Systems. Lester and Carol bought their first home in Lake Chelan in 1992 and as he says gave up all “dark side rights” in April of 2005. Lester is a past President for the Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce. He is also Past President for the Chelan Rotary Club and former board member for the Lake Chelan Health and Wellness Foundation. He is also a Trustee for the Community Foundation of North Central Washington.
Chad Steiner – Secretary/Treasurer
Chelan Valley Farms & Lagrioth Winery
Chad is owner, farmer, CEO, CFO and agriculturalist at the farm. While participating in FFA in high school he found a passion for farming and wanted to work in agriculture. He went on to study agricultural economics at Washington State University and took a year break to work for Chateau. St. Michele as a vineyard tech where he fell in love with wine. After finishing his Master in Crop Science, Chad had a corporate career working for Syngenta Crop Protection learning with world leaders in agriculture and sampling amazing wine from around the world. With Syngenta, Chad and Jeana had the opportunity to move to North Carolina, Tennessee and California. While in California, Chad managed Pro Tree Nursery where he traveled the world learning about apple varieties. In summer of 2018, Chad and Jeana took a leap of faith, quit their jobs and moved to raise their 3 young boys in Lake Chelan and build their dream – Chelan Valley Farms. When not working on the farm – you will find Chad in the mountains or kitchen making homemade pizza, pasta or bread, listening to Frank Sinatra, reading and enjoying a glass of wine.
JoAnne Strandberg
JoAnne Strandberg graduated from Lewis and Clark College in 1997 and began her career at a New York internet start-up after traveling the country. She and her husband, Lars, a Marine Corps officer, lived throughout the South before spending 10 years in North Carolina, where JoAnne worked at Coastal Carolina Community College as a computer tech, Help Desk Supervisor, and Intro to Computers instructor. In 2008, they moved to Chelan to be closer to family and raise their children. JoAnne quickly became involved in the community, working at Culinary Apple, coaching volleyball at Chelan High School, and serving on the boards of HDCA and Chelan Valley Hope. In January 2020, she and Lars purchased Culinary Apple, where they are proud to continue serving the community as business owners.
Jodi Cowell
Jo Cowell was raised in Hood River, Oregon, and has spent most of her life in small communities. After a 20-year career in banking, she joined her husband’s construction company, leading them to Chelan in 2005. In 2012, Jo and her husband, Greg, opened One Wines Inc, a winery that has since grown to include One Brewing. Jo has also contributed to her community by serving on several boards, including those focused on economic development.
Jordana LaPorte
Evergreen Accounting
Jordana LaPorte is a Certified Public Accountant with over 35 years of experience serving small businesses and their owners. She founded LaPorte Financial Alliance in Chelan in 2003 and continues to provide consulting services through Evergreen Accounting after a 2020 merger. Jordana and her family also operate an apple orchard in Manson. She has served as a Lake Chelan Health Commissioner for seven years, currently as Board Chair, and contributes to the WA State Hospital Association. Dedicated to community service, she has led Chelan Rotary, served on the NCW Business Loan Fund board, and volunteered with local schools, FFA, and FBLA.
Luke Wall
Luke is a third-generation business owner in Chelan and fifth-generation to live in North Central Washington. His education includes a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Master’s in Business. After working in the corporate world, Luke transitioned to working with non-profit organizations. He now has over a decade of non-profit experience, specializing in strategic planning and business development. He is now the Executive Director for Only7Seconds. After growing up in the Chelan area and now raising three children here, Luke is passionate about seeing Chelan’s community flourish and prosper to benefit all businesses and organizations in the valley.
Mistaya Johnston
Mistaya Johnston was raised in Stehekin where she cultivated a love for hospitality. After attending Central Washington University she has served as a Paramedic for 15 years at Lake Chelan Health. She and her husband, Jake, own and operate Stehekin Valley Ranch with the help of their two young sons. Mistaya values the ties she has with both the community of Stehekin and Chelan.
Pete Luchini
Manson Bay Market and Tamarack Tax & Consulting, LLC
Prior to her career in public accounting, Ms. Luchini worked in both academia and industry. She began her accounting career in Montana in 2004 and then worked at length for two accounting firms (one in Yakima and one in Wenatchee) until she opened her own tax practice and consulting firm in Wenatchee in 2018. She specializes in all things tax, IRS representation, litigation support, and financial advising. She is Accredited in Business Valuation by the AIPCA. Ms. Luchini also runs the Manson Bay Market grocery store with her husband. She enjoys all of this as well as all the activities generated by her and her husband’s six kids at home.
Stacy Willoughby
Chelan Valley Hope & Cashmere Valley Bank
Stacy is the Branch Manager at the Lake Chelan branch of Cashmere Valley Bank and Chelan Valley Hope Board President. She was raised in a military family and has lived all over the world from Italy to Japan. Stacy has worked in different roles in finance since 2001 in banking and as a financial advisor and mentor. Financial literacy, economic development, and sustainability are areas of interest. She and her husband, Rick, live on the south shore of Lake Chelan.
Visit the Chamber
Visitor Center location & hours:
216 East Woodin Ave, Chelan, WA 98816
(509) 682-3503
1.800.4CHELAN
Monday-Friday: 9am-5pm
Saturday & Sunday: 10am-4pm
Get The Guides!
Amazing experiences and great deals inside! Click on the guides below to download. These exclusive guides will help you get the most out of your visit to Lake Chelan.
