BP Chamber names new director

The Blooming Prairie Area Chamber of Commerce has named its new executive director.
Emily Glaser of Blooming Prairie took over as the chamber’s new director Monday. She replaces Becky Noble, who is retiring after 20 years with the chamber.
Glaser plans to keep the same hours that Noble had, working  from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday. The two will be working side-by-side for the next two or three weeks until Glaser is comfortable to go on her own.
“I want to contribute to the community,” said Glaser, who began operating Just Because Bakery out of her home in November. “I want to effect the community in a positive way and make it the best it can be.”
Glaser, 28, admitted applying for the chamber job was a “very spur of the moment” decision she made. “I wasn’t really looking for a job, but when I went through the qualifications, I saw I have done about 90% of the work,” she said, adding she thought she would be good for the job.
Small towns are fairly new to Glaser and her husband Ryan who moved to Blooming Prairie in June 2018. She grew up in Minnetonka while he is originally from Rochester.
“We didn’t like growing up in a big town where you are just a number,” Glaser said.
Asked what attracted them to Blooming Prairie, Glaser said: “A combination of family, small town and the school district.”
On one of their first nights in town, they had their windows open and heard kids playing Ghost in the Grave. Glaser said she and her husband looked at each other and commented, “This is our town.” She added she loved how kids were playing joyously in the summer.
Prior to moving to Blooming Prairie, the Glasers already had a connection to the community, which helped guide them here. Ryan Glaser’s stepfather is Ronnie Thorson of Blooming Prairie. Thorson’s father, Glenn Thorson, built the Pine Springs Pool in town in 1961. A local attorney, the elder Thorson also was better known as “Mr. Blooming Prairie.”
Glaser has a K-12 general music degree from Winona State University. She taught music at Lyle Public Schools for two years.
She lamented how she is getting away from her college degree, but she’s taking it all in stride. “You have to go with the punches and make lemonade when needed,” Glaser said.
Referring to the name of her bakery, Glaser was asked if she took the position “just because.” She laughed and said, “No, not just because, but I felt the reality of having my own brick and mortar bakery isn’t coming any time soon.”
Besides running the chamber, Glaser also plans to continue the bakery in her house as time permits.
Glaser and her husband have a 9-month-old child, Kymberly.