Lone Oak High School and Murray State University graduate Anna Brewer has made Paducah the first stop on her career path. Armed with PR smarts, sparkly charm and super babe-ly good looks, Brewer is definitely pointed in the right direction. Plus, as the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce member services coordinator, she has already figured out how to mix professionalism with plenty of fun.Anna Brewer, you are cute, cute, cute, no doubt about it! We’re lucky to get you back in Paducah.
Thank you! I was really happy to get the Chamber job. It’s my first job out of college. I started in April.
Well, you are definitely off to a good start! Tell us what you do there.
I’m the member services coordinator. I’m responsible for recruiting new members to the Chamber, I work with the membership and marketing committee and I help coordinate the golf scramble, membership campaign, annual meeting and the trade show.
I also help organize the Diplomats Club, which includes Chamber members who attend our various ribbon cuttings. Basically, I smile a lot and shake a lot of hands!
 |
| Jennifer Villareal, Anna Brewer and Hillery Gilliland on Girls Night |
I majored in public relations and minored in advertising.
Wow, so you actually have a job doing what you studied to do!
I really do. This job is more marketing, but I had marketing classes at Murray. Those subjects tend to combine into one.
OK, so give us your Chamber sales pitch.
It’s a great way to network and a wonderful way to promote your business. What you put into your Chamber membership is what you get out of it. We encourage members to attend the monthly Power in Partnership breakfasts and Mix and Mingles.
And we have a Business Advocacy group, a Government Affairs group and a Business Education Partnership group – all of which are designed to promote and strengthen our members’ businesses and help Paducah grow.
How many members have you brought in?
I’ve brought in close to 20 since I came on board in April. I target new businesses as well as those that have been members before but dropped their memberships. Occasionally I get lucky and someone will walk in already interested in joining.
Is there anything you want to plug for the Chamber?
Well, we have the World Famous Pike Place Fishmongers coming for our annual meeting on January 24. So we want everyone to come to that.
We posted a YouTube video of those guys throwing fish to each other on our blog. Thank you for doing that! They’re great motivational speakers – they talk about how companies can motivate their employees to love their jobs.
Since moving back, have you reconnected with old friends?
Some – and I’ve met a lot of new people through the Twenty Thirty Group. I was surprised at how many people my age have relocated here. I always meet someone new every time I attend a Fridays at 5.
And you’re in the Downtown Kiwanis Club with that cute, cute, cute Mindy Carroll.
Yes, I joined in September. My grandfather was president of the Southside Kiwanis, so it runs in the family. And Mindy Carroll is just fabulous.
Did you help with BBQ on the River?
Yes, I helped put together the boxed lunches and I helped serve. I had a greater appreciation for all of the hard work that goes into BBQ on the River. I also got to know my fellow Kiwanians better.
How else do you spend your time?
I love to shop, I really like Old Navy, lots of places at the mall and I love market@315 on Broadway. I also like going to Nashville or St. Louis for fun girls weekends.
Totally! Love that place! Have you checked out the new Lela’s Boutique on Broadway?
Not yet, but I will!
Work, shop, friends – you sound like Carrie Bradshaw.
Why thank you, but you won’t catch me running downtown in my stilettos. I would fall flat on my face.
I love being outdoors too – I love to be out on a boat or jet skis for the day at Kentucky Lake. I love Destin. I’m a big baseball fan, too.
Which team?
I love the St. Louis Cardinals and the Southern Illinois Miners. The Miners are fun because they’re a new team this year and you can get really close seats.
I noticed that you’re in no less than four St. Louis Cardinals groups on Facebook!
I’m a diehard fan.
OK, so how often do you check Facebook? You’re in 34 groups! How do you keep up with them all?
I check Facebook every day, and I did not know I was in that many groups. I really don’t keep up with them. I actually joined most of them when Facebook got started.
My favorite one of yours is the Girls Who Love Southern Boys group. How did that get started?
I don’t know how it got started. What’s not to love about a Southern Boy? Although Northern Boys rock too!
No doubt! And you’ve also got a cool MySpace page.
Yes, it’s myspace.com/sisterpretty. Sister Pretty is a Hootie & the Blowfish song. I’m a diehard Blowfish fan. Plus all those computer junkies out there took all the good MySpace names.
You know Mark Bryan serenaded me over the telephone.
I’m so jealous! I think he is hot, hot, hot!
Maybe we can get him to sing Sister Pretty to you over the phone. He’s single again, you know.
I know!
Did you go to their Carson Center concert in August?
Of course! I was in the third balcony. It was wonderful!
Besides Mark Bryan, which fellas do you have your eye on?
I haven’t met anyone just yet. I have a lot of guy friends that I hang out with. But there’s nobody in particular at the moment.
What kind of guy are you interested in?
I’m looking for a guy who’s really laid back, who has a good time wherever he goes and who has a good sense of humor.
Do you have any favorite kinds of dates?
I don’t see anything wrong with dinner and a movie. I love to go to Nick’s or Pizza by the Pound. I also like nice dinners at Max’s or Di Fratelli. And I like Fat Moe’s, Jeremiah’s and Renaissance.
So do people call you Anna Banana?
All the time. I don’t really know why, but I’ve always been called that – ever since I was little. I don’t mind it.
Well, Anna Brewer, after this they’ll be calling you Anna Banana Babe-a-Licious, no doubt! Rock on, Sister Pretty!
