Matthew Kostelnik is the executive director of the Eldon Chamber of Commerce.
Matthew Kostelnik didn’t end up where he started — even though the director of the Eldon Area Chamber of Commerce is, in fact, from Eldon.
It’s a different place than when the married father of two graduated from high school, and certainly altered from many years ago, when the railroad and a major manufacturer were significant employers. And while “adapting to those changes is hard,” he says, considering how best to evolve a place for the future can also lead to good things.
“I would say the goal for Eldon is not to be stagnant,” Kostelnik says of the community, which has worked to redefine itself for future growth. Part of that shift is finding new employers (like Quaker Windows, which came to Eldon in recent years) but also increasing focus on year-round employment and tourism. A new draw will soon be Rock Island Trail State Park, a rail-to-trail pathway linking Eldon with other communities across mid-Missouri.
Kostelnik’s own path is built on change. After college, the 31-year-old chamber director worked for the Eldon school and coached basketball. He later worked in flooring, which led to community betterment work in nearby Camdenton. Those chapters helped him reach the Eldon chamber office, a “train depot” that was built with support from the Eldon Community Foundation.
“When a business comes and talks to me about something, I understand where they’re coming from,” he says.
Those efforts are ones Kostelnik really puts his heart into making successful.
“This is my home, and you want your home to do well,” he says. “If I do end up staying here for the rest of my life, I want my kids to have a good hometown to live in and to be a part of.”
Who inspires you? Send your suggestions of individuals moving the needle in your community to Kaitlyn McConnell, the CFO's writer in residence, at kmcconnell@cfozarks.org.
