MONROE — As a Mexican-American woman in jobs dominated by men, she’s used to working twice as hard to get half as far.
Now, Yvonne M. Gallardo-Van Ornam is putting that energy into boosting businesses and bolstering Monroe.
The new executive director for the Monroe Chamber of Commerce said she’s learned to work well different personalities and juggle multiple projects.
Gallardo-Van Ornam, 37, replaces former director Una Wirkebau, who left the chamber Dec. 31. The $33,000-a-year job demands someone who can do a lot with a little.
Gallardo-Van Ornam said she doesn’t mind because the long hours don’t feel like work.
“This is the first time I’ve ever had a job I love,” she said.
The PTA mom and Navy veteran comes to the Chamber with experience running a small business and working for a global manufacturer. She has a master’s of business administration.
As a woman working in male-dominant fields, she said, she’s often had to overcome being dismissed and intimidated.
“You get a thick skin,” she said. “You have to learn to roll with the punches.”
Now, Gallardo-Van Ornam hopes knowing how to talk to people and not being afraid to be told “no” will help her build relationships for the chamber and the city.
“If that’s the worst thing they’re going to tell me, that’s OK,” she said. “And maybe tomorrow, they’ll change their mind.”
The El Paso, Texas, native is bilingual, too. Gallardo-Van Ornam said she not only speaks fluent Spanish but she also understands Hispanic culture.
“I’m hoping it’s going to open doors,” she said.
In Monroe, almost 20 percent of the city’s 17,900 people are Hispanic or Latino, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Gallardo-Van Ornam met her husband, Brian, in Everett, when they were both serving in the Navy in 2003. Later, they used the skills they learned as sailors to get hired at Fluke Corporation, a manufacturer of industrial testing equipment including electronics.
During her time with the company, Gallardo-Van Ornam was promoted to manage a highly-technical department while working on outside marketing projects.
Her husband still works for Fluke as an engineering manager. The couple lives in Arlington with their children, Andrew, 9, and Alexis, 6.
As a second-class petty officer in the Navy, Gallardo-Van Ornam learned to fix and maintain electrical and mechanical equipment. She also planned recreation for sailors, putting together sightseeing trips, such as tours of James Bond Island or Khao Phing Kan, Thailand, and the site of World War II bombings in Nagasaki, Japan.
In Everett, Gallardo-Van Ornam got sailors to pitch in on volunteer projects for several Snohomish County nonprofits.
After the Navy, she went to college and in 2008 opened a business. Andrew’s Playroom in Arlington didn’t survive the economic recession and closed in 2009.
But, Gallardo-Van Ornam said, she learned from the failed attempt. It showed her how a Chamber of Commerce can help business owners, too.
“It helped me get my foot in the door with a lot of different businesses,” she said. “Now, I want to do that. I want to give back to the community.”
Amy Nile: 425-339-3192; anile@heraldnet.com. Twitter: @AmyNileReports
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