Peterson tabbed to helm Shelton-Mason chamber

Shelton City Council member Deidre Peterson will be the new president and CEO of the Shelton-Mason County Chamber of Commerce.

Peterson, a Shelton native who was elected to the council in April 2018, is the chamber's vice president of business development. She will replace Heidi McCutcheon, who is leaving the organization after 14 years for a new job at the Thurston County Economic Development Council and Center for Business & Innovation.

Peterson is a fourth-generation Mason County resident. She earned a degree in business administration specific to organization management, marketing and accounting from Saint Martin's University in Lacey.

As an employee of the chamber, Peterson has been recusing herself from casting votes on the council on matters that affect the chamber, such as the awarding of tourism dollars from city hotel and motel taxes. Peterson's term expires at the end of 2023.

Peterson has worked for the chamber for 11 years.

"It is my privilege to accept this role and I'm grateful the board has entrusted me to lead the organization forward," Peterson said in a news release. "Working with our members over the past decade has been an incredible joy, supporting small businesses, legacy industries, and our community as a whole. I hope to build on the strong reputation the chamber has earned as we begin this next chapter."