Robin Miller - Part of Oral Histories collected at BRAHM on Sept 20, 2025
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This story was submitted on December 4, 2025 by Admin
- Title
- Robin Miller - Part of Oral Histories collected at BRAHM on Sept 20, 2025
- Description
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This oral history interview features Robin Miller, President and CEO of the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, recorded on September 20, 2025, at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum. Miller offers a unique dual perspective on Hurricane Helene, having experienced the storm's impact in two very different locations.
Miller was serving as CEO of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce in Pinellas County, Florida, when Helene made a near-direct hit on the Gulf Coast community where she lived. As one of the first community leaders to arrive in the aftermath, she was deeply involved in the initial recovery efforts there. She had interviewed for the Blowing Rock position in August 2024, and despite assuming the job search would be suspended due to the hurricane, was offered the position in mid-October while still managing Helene and Hurricane Milton recovery efforts in Florida. She relocated to North Carolina on December 28th, 2024.
The interview provides valuable comparative insights between hurricane recovery in coastal Florida versus the North Carolina mountains. Miller contrasts the immediate, rapid cleanup efforts in Florida's tourism-focused communities with the longer-lasting, more interconnected community response in Watauga County. She discusses Blowing Rock's unique situation—experiencing primarily fiscal rather than structural damage due to tourism loss and Blue Ridge Parkway closures—and the ongoing partnership efforts between Blowing Rock and Boone to support affected businesses. Miller reflects on the challenges of experiencing the same disaster in two different communities and her perspective on crisis recovery and community resilience. - Spatial Coverage
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