The Montauk Chamber of Commerce announced today the hiring of its first new Executive Director in more than 16 years. Montauk resident Byor Kay Tyler (a.k.a Kay), bringing marketing and communications experience from JetBlue Airways, American Express, and Citigroup, was tapped to replace outgoing Laraine Creegan, who recently announced her retirement after 16 years at the helm.
Ms. Tyler, who lives full time in Montauk with her family, is a marketing veteran who began her career at a little known startup – JetBlue Airways – in the company’s insipient stage, when its creative ads and quirky messaging helped it compete successfully with the legacy airlines and win Ad Age’s 2002 Marketer of the Year Award. She then moved on to American Express and later Citigroup, working in various traditional and digital marketing areas including acquisitions, loyalty/retention, customer experience and partnerships.
More recently, Ms. Tyler was the Managing Editor of On Montauk magazine, where she became known to many Montauk business owners.
Paul Monte, President of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, says that Ms. Tyler’s physical presence in Montauk and her familiarity with the business climate of the hamlet make her an ideal candidate for the demanding role. “We are pleased to onboard a diverse professional on the level of Ms. Tyler who already lives in Montauk and knows our town.” He said. “We are excited and looking forward to a great future with Ms. Tyler and are confident she is the right person to carry the torch for Montauk.”
Mr. Monte praised outgoing Laraine Creegan. “Ms. Creegan turned a tiny office outpost 16 years ago into a modern and effective Chamber for our ever-more-popular hamlet. The job grew more and more demanding year after year and Laraine kept a steady helm through it all. We are sorry to see her go and wish her well with her next chapter.
“My first priority will be to make sure Montauk is front and center in people’s minds once Coronavirus blows over so that our businesses can recover,” Ms. Tyler asserts. The countless reasons everyone loves Montauk…our beaches, restaurants, surfing, nature, music, fishing, it goes on and on…are still here. The Chamber will make sure nobody forgets that.”
Montauk Chamber of Commerce is a member business organization dedicated to providing community leadership for the development of and sustaining a sound economy, primarily through responsible tourism, for Montauk, NY. It provides leadership in the creation of constructive community action and a forum for the exchange of ideas and information for the betterment and care of the hamlet.
