By LEAH WEATHERSBY

After years as a tireless volunteer with the Lake City Chamber of Commerce, Imogene Inglet took center stage in January as the organizationıs new president . Inglet, who owns a business in Lake City called Arts ŒNı Flowers, will serve a one-year term at the helm of the chamber.

³Without Imogene, (some of the chamberıs) major accomplishments would not have come to be or been as successful,² said Bill Swanberg, the owner of Swanberg Realty whom Inglet succeeded as chamber president. Swanberg served two consecutive terms as president.

Inglet is a lifelong Washington resident who was born in Anacortes and later moved with her family to Bothell, where she graduated from Bothell High School. She is also a long-time member of the Lake City business community.

Ingletıs affiliation with Lake City goes way back to the days when she attended Renonıs Beauty School (which used to be located where the Lake City Bartellıs and Payless Shoe stores are today) in 1966. At the time, hair dressers were known as ³beauty operators,² she recalls. She only spent one year in that profession before marrying KJ Inglet, a remodeler, and giving birth to their first child.

By the time Imogene Inglet was ready to return to work, after taking several years off to raise their family, she said hairstyles had changed quite a bit, which prompted her to look for work in a different field. She was attracted to the flower business because she says sheıs always enjoyed making things and working with her hands.

³You canıt make a living doing crafts,² Inglet explained. ³I decided floral work was the next best thing.²

Inglet got a job with Gene Henderson at Lake City Florist in 1978 and remained an employee there for 17 years. When Henderson sold the business in 1994, Inglet decided start her own shop.

She currently runs Arts ŒNı Flowers at 12304 Lake City Way NE with some help from her husband. She says she chose to remain in Lake City because she already knew people here. Until recently Inglet also ran a floral design school which she opened 1994. She decided to close the school in January, saying itıs hard to find students when the job market is good.

Inglet probably wonıt have much time for floral schools anyway these days. In her newly elected role with the chamber, Inglet says sheıs going to be a ³doer president,² and she has big plans for the organization this year.

She says that ever since she joined the Lake City Chamber five years ago sheıs been an organizer, and she wants to expand all the groupıs major events this year.

Inglet says she wants to encourage musical acts of all kinds to join the Lake City Pioneer Days Parade this year. She also wants to get a grand marshal, hopefully a sports figure or other local celebrity, who can help bring in the crowds. Sheıs also working with chamber member Bruce Edwards to expand the groupıs annual golf tournament, which is held in July. Of course, Inglet hopes to keep growing the chamberıs annual auction and spaghetti dinner, a tradition she was instrumental in starting.

³Iım not a politician,² Inglet said in describing herself. ³I like to do creative stuff. I want to get my hands dirty.²

Inglet means this literally. In addition to enhancing established chamber events, Inglet feels passionately about improving the neighborhood itself. Sheıs eager to get volunteers together for projects such as replanting the round flower pots along Lake City Way. She also wants to make sure the street gets cleaned, especially before this yearıs parade.

Inglet is only the fourth woman president in the Lake City Chamberıs 43-year history. While itıs not clear what has kept women out of that role in the past, it seems obvious after speaking with Inglet that hard work and service to Lake Cityıs business community is what got her the job.

The Chamber can be reached at 363-3287.