Editor’s Note: Kemmerer resident Kathy Tomassi was recently appointed to the Wyoming Business Council board, along with Charles Kenyon, John Coyne III and Cindy Johnson.

Describe your background and the experience you bring to the Business Council board. 

I am married (49 years!) to Tony Tomassi, a small-business owner. I have two children: Chris Tomassi, who lives in Washington, D.C.; and Kiley Tomassi, who lives in Evanston. 

I’m originally from Montana and have lived in Wyoming for 45 years. I have a bachelor’s degree from Montana State University, Billings. 

I helped run small businesses with my husband and his family for several years while working as a loan officer at a local bank. I also sold real estate locally after my children were born to keep my hand in work and also be home with my children. And I opened an accounting business with a partner doing payroll, taxes, etc. 

I was elected as the Lincoln County Treasurer in 2010 and retired in 2016. 

I have served on many boards including the Board of Professional Responsibility, the Wyoming Community Foundation and the Kemmerer Rotary Club. 

What are you most looking forward to as you join the board? 

I am truly looking forward to making a positive contribution to the state of Wyoming. I believe there are some complex and exciting times ahead for Wyoming, and I would like to be a small part of that. 

What do you anticipate will be your biggest challenge as a board member? 

Of course, the learning curve of being on the board will be steep, which will be a great challenge. Getting up to speed with the rest of the board and feeling comfortable with the various items addressed will prove to be interesting. Also, it will be a challenge to assess priorities and make decisions based on true value to communities. 

What is your favorite thing about living, working and playing in Wyoming? 

Wow, where do I start? Wyoming has been good to my family and me. This state has given us wonderful opportunities, from the great education offered to my children to the businesses we have been involved with, to the chance of running for elected positions. I feel Wyoming welcomes people with open arms if they have an innovative idea, the willingness to work, and the initiative to put ideas out there and take a risk. The quality of life is fantastic — low cost of living, small school classrooms, and low taxes, just to name a few. We love the outdoors, and the low cost of golf at our municipal course, the abundant hiking opportunities, the walking trails, etc., lend themselves to a wonderful, wholesome way of life. We all feel lucky to have had a great life in the state of Wyoming.