Sound Publishing’s loss will be Oak Harbor’s gain.

Kathy Reed, editor of the Whidbey Crosswind, was chosen as the new director of the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce. Reed will take over for Jill Johnson, who left the chamber after being elected as a county commissioner.

Jason McFadyen, president of the chamber board, said the chamber received a lot of great applicants for the position, but that Reed stood out in the end.

“She’ll be able to hit the ground running and just take it,” he said.

Reed has a wide range of experience in communications and journalism. She has been the editor of the Whidbey Crosswind over the last two years. The newspaper, owned by Sound Publishing, is dedicated to covering military veterans on the island.

In fact, VFW Post 7392 recently gave Reed and the Crosswind separate awards for community service.

“We wanted to honor Kathy for all the work she does for veterans and for promoting all we (the VFW) do for veterans,” Keith Wooldridge, post commander, said. “I gave the award to the Crosswind for what it allows Kathy to do to promote veterans in Oak Harbor.”

Before coming to Whidbey, Reed was the features editor at The Chronicle in Centralia, an events coordinator for an arts-and-crafts business in Kennewick and a TV news producer in Florida.

As the new chamber director, Reed will oversee a 50-year-old organization with four employees and 450 members. She said she plans to continue the chamber’s tradition of feisty advocacy on behalf of the business community as well as the management of important community events, such as the upcoming Holland Happening celebration.

In addition, Reed said she will focus on growing the chamber membership.

“I’m looking forward to a new set of challenges,” she said. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people; that was the best part of my role as Crosswind editor.”