By CLAYTON PARK

Kent Christianson took over the State Farm insurance office in Wallingford a few years ago following the retirement of longtime local agent John Minifie.

Once again he finds himself walking in his predecessor's footsteps. Christianson, 38, was recently named president of the Wallingford Chamber of Commerce - 14 years after Minifie held the same post.

But soon, Christianson will be able to do something that none of his predecessors at the chamber have done before: move the chamber into its own office - or at least part of one.

Sometime in early February, the chamber is expected to move into an office located at 2100-A North 45th that it will share with two other groups: the Wallingford Community Council and an organization called WEaving Wallingford.

The office space was made available through generous support from Tully's Coffee, which recently opened a coffeehouse next door, and Microsoft, along with matching funds from the City.

Christianson is enthused about the coming year. The chamber plans to hold a community celebration on Saturday, Feb. 13 at Latona Elementary School. It also plans to conduct a membership drive. One of the main goals for the chamber, as Christianson sees it, is to find ways to help "increase commerce for the Wallingford area and to create a community identity so that people think of us as a shopping destination," he says.

For more information about the Wallingford Chamber, call Christianson at 632-8000.