New Executive Director settling into role nicely

The Chisago County Historical Society’s new executive director Sherry Timmermann is providing the wealth of background in public service and real life skills that is exactly what the society board was seeking as directors went about filling the position after Sherry Stirling retired.

Timmermann, who resides in Wisconsin, can be found at the History Center, in Lindstrom on Tuesdays and Fridays. She also has a phone call forwarding system so she can keep on top of time sensitive data requests and inquiries remotely. Her first weeks now have gone by quickly with organizing society research materials and procedures at the center. The center’s public space has been better defined with the society library, microfilm and physical records pretty much in the lower level of the Victorian home that serves as the history center. An exhibit room is maintained on the upper level. The region’s newspapers are on file at the center both in microfilm format and as hard copies. (Chisago County Press copies kept here at the newspaper office go back to 1924 only.) There are also cemetery records, family histories, government ledgers and lots of other local historical data at the center.

Historical Society Board member Neil Gatzow explained that the interview process featured a host of applicants, many with master degrees in history. But what the society really needed was somebody with organizational and business administration know-how plus knowledge about accessing funding available for non-profits. Timmermann is an experienced grant writer and has worked as a private contractor since 20003. She also served for nine years on a city council in the east metro area, so she is comfortable promoting the public face of the society just as skillfully as finding funding streams. The key to success is to “stay true to the society mission” she shared. Inquiries and requests for information and/or photos are keeping her busy, and she has been surprised by the variety in her day.

The Historical Society holdings are located in various sites across the county and some of these early days on the job have involved just getting to know what is housed, where. The enthusiasm of Board members and volunteers is a revelation. Historical Society volunteers are “...really willing to step up and take ownership,” she noted. For information about the county historical society visit the center in the northeast corner of First and Broadway Tuesdays or Fridays, view the website at cchs.org or contact the center at 257-5310.