Angela Henderson named new Rathdrum Chamber executive director

Angela Henderson has taken over the Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce at a moment when the city’s business corridor is still changing fast, with more homes, more storefronts and major highway work on the way. The chamber serves about 200 businesses, making the new executive director’s role less about ceremony than about keeping employers, merchants and newcomers connected in a city that is growing around State Highways 41 and 53.

Henderson assumed the job last week, following Ashley Cameron’s departure after six years as executive director. Cameron’s last day was March 31. The transition gives the chamber a new leader just as Rathdrum’s growth pressure is becoming impossible to ignore for local employers that rely on stable traffic patterns, visible storefronts and a predictable business climate.

Henderson brings a background that spans insurance, JA Bertsch Heating and Cooling, where she served as chief culture officer, and Servpro of Coeur d’Alene. She has lived in North Idaho for 12 years and said her own friendships and professional network in the region grew out of business relationships, a perspective that fits a chamber whose core work is relationship-building. In a community as close-knit as Rathdrum, that means helping existing businesses stay visible while creating a stronger sense of connection among owners who may be feeling the effects of rapid growth.

The numbers behind that growth are substantial. Rathdrum had 9,211 residents in the 2020 census and was estimated at 12,626 in July 2024, a 37% increase in less than four years. Kootenai County grew from 171,362 to 188,323 over the same period. City officials say Rathdrum has grown more than 45% since 2000, and at the chamber’s State of the Community Luncheon on Feb. 19, president Jerry Tretwold said more than 13,000 people now live within the city limits.

That expansion is already shaping the chamber’s agenda. The Idaho Transportation Department says it will invest more than $60 million by 2029 to improve the State Highway 53 corridor from State Line to Rathdrum, including turn lanes and a new interchange at Pleasant View Road. A separate State Highway 41 bridge project in Rathdrum is expected to begin between June and July and wrap up by late fall. For merchants and employers, those projects could influence access, visibility and customer traffic.

Rathdrum’s comprehensive plan says it is meant to guide sustainable development and address growth impacts, underscoring why chamber leadership matters now. Henderson steps into a business group that is expected to help longtime operators adapt while keeping pace with the new residents, roads and commercial development reshaping the city.