A Boundless Love of Highlands

Written By: Mary Jane McCall | Issue: September - 2022

Kaye’s love affair with Highlands began while vacation-ing here in the 80s, followed by the purchase of avacation home in the 90s. For many years she was thedirector of The Bascom, overseeing its growth from a one-roomgallery in Hudson Library to its expansive campus today beforemoving away for other opportunities.Kaye McHan’s background is in the arts – she was a vocalmajor at Stetson University and holds a Master in Visual Artsfrom the University of Central Florida – combine with exten-sive experience in leadership and finance make her uniquelyqualified to envision and oversee the Chamber.A resolute public servant, Kaye’s enthusiasm and love ofHighlands are boundless. Her talents and vision lend themselvesnaturally to steering the Chamber forward keeping residents,visitors, and businesses happy and engaged. She’s a peopleperson and a savvy businesswoman who’s able to focus on the bigpicture while seeing that all the little things fall into place.Luckily for us, the call of the mountains proved too great and in2019 she returned to Highlands to assume her current position,just in time for the Covid pandemic to hit. She and her teamat the Chamber quickly turned that negative into a positive,focusing on the special bond that Highlanders have for oneanother. Working closely with the Town and local businesses,they charted a course to protect the community. The NeighborsHelping Neighbors program was born of these hard times andcontinues to showcase how we all benefit when we pull togetherand serve one another.Mayor Pat Taylor recognizes the invaluable input of Kayeand the Chamber in seeing that the partnership between theChamber and the Town is results driven: “The Chamberof Commerce sponsors and coordinates many communityevents for both our visitors and for our permanent residents.These events add to the community quality of life here on theHighlands Plateau.”Lance Hardin, the Welcome Center Manager and Coordinator,quickly recognized when working with Kaye, “that it wasquickly apparent that she brings a unique perspective; herbackground in the visual arts is evidenced by her thoughtfulappreciation of aesthetics, yet she also has strong fiscalmanagement talents honed from years of experience leadingnon-profits.I think it’s a great skillset for a Chamber leader ina town like Highlands that is so focused on the arts.”She is excited about helping implement the Chamber’s strategicplan which stresses serving our residents, full and part-time.As she says “a great place to live is a great place to visit” so bytaking care of our residents and businesses we will naturallybecome a beacon for visitors.Part of the Chamber’s vision of taking care of our own is theirTourism Grant Program which awards grants to local nonprofitswhich directly affect and enrich the lives of our residents.These grants, totaling over $250,000 so far, are funded by theUse and Occupancy Tax. Recipients are recommended by acommittee of staff members, volunteers and the Chamber ofCommerce and Welcome Center board president. Kaye is acareful steward of these funds which are such an importantinvestment in our community.A lover of nature, she’s overseen the implementation of the newgarden at the Welcome Center, a peaceful oasis highlightingnative plants. Her artistic flair is clear in the design of thegarden, and she foresees it becoming an important educationalcomponent in the need for conservation.In her spare time, Kaye stays involved in the local arts sceneand finds that time spent in nature recharges her batteries. Everadventuresome and always looking for new experiences, she ownsan RV and enjoys road tripping whether solo or with friends.Most recently she adopted a new best friend, Gimlet, a pupwhose warmth and exuberance match Kaye’s, who serves as theWelcome Center’s official greeter.Bringing all this together is Chamber Board Chair Tricia Cox,Broker/Vice President of Berkshire Hathaway Home ServicesMeadows Mountain Realty: “I’ve had the pleasure of workingwith Kaye at the Highlands Chamber of Commerce and VisitHighlands NC for the past three years. Not only is she dedicat-ed to those organizations, but she is dedicated to our Highlandscommunity. Kaye understands how special our town is and thevalue of our residents, our businesses, and our visitors. Kaye,along with the staff she leads, works to bring information andevents to the community which are beneficial to our economyand can be enjoyed by those who call Highlands home as wellas those who may be short term visitors. She is always lookingfor ways to improve the experience of being in Highlands foreveryone who is blessed enough to be here.”

by Mary Jane McCall