CHAMBER'S WOMAN LEADER ON CLOUD NINE.

Byline: Victoria Giraud Special to the Daily News

Kim Kurowski, known around town as ``the balloon lady,'' feels it was a great distinction to become this year's Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce president.

``I feel honored,'' said Kurowski, owner of the balloon business A-1 Party. ``As far as I know, no small-business woman has ever been president.''

As a small-business owner who ``worked my way up the ranks'' - vice president of membership, board of directors member - Kurowski brings her special experience to the chamber's program for the year.

``They deemed this as the year of small business,'' Kurowski said. She explained that the chamber polled small businesses for information on their concerns and are now polling local residents to discover ``what they're looking for in a small business.''

Kurowski's balloon business is really popping. ``I've decorated every single clubhouse (in the area),'' and she's looking forward to decorating the event rooms at the new Hyatt Valencia.

From a balloon Santa Claus to black balloons that formed spiders for the Natural History Museum in Burbank, Kurowski's almost done it all.

``There's always something going on,'' she says. Because of the demand for her balloon decorating, ``I get to know all the events around town.''

A Northridge native who's lived in Santa Clarita for 20 years, she didn't start out in the balloon business. For 10 years she worked in a bank, and was so successful in sales for new accounts and loans that she won a trip to Switzerland. After her trip she felt she needed new challenges, and quit her secure job to work with one of her former customers, a party planner.

Six months later she was laid off and decided to start her own party business. A-1 Stop Party Shop was her storefront until the earthquake. Competition was so stiff with larger stores that she was determined to focus on just balloons and open her business in her home.

Her two sons, Kris 15, and Kody, 11, come along to help on many of her jobs. Since she does the deliveries herself, her business is definitely a ``lot of hands on.''

Balloon decorations has been on-the-job training for Kurowski. ``Friends helped, and I learned a lot through pictures.''

Weather, she discovered early on, was a primary factor for outside decorating. For instance, ``helium and water don't mix,'' which means they won't fly in the rain.

For one of her first weddings, she created a balloon arch. In a strong wind and without a frame, which she now always uses, the balloons bobbed every which way, even hitting the bride and bridegroom on the head.

She's prepared for all types of decor, and some of her specialities include balloon bouquets and stuffed balloons. One fulfilled request was for a six-pack of beer inside a balloon. Others have wanted champagne and champagne glasses.

For Christmas one year, a man wanted $300 in one-dollar bills stuffed in a balloon. His wife liked the balloon so well she didn't pop it for three months, never suspecting that it held so much money.

One of her most unusual incidents involved a Valentine's Day bouquet requested by a young woman for her boyfriend. Two days after it was delivered, the couple got into a fight, and the woman called Kurowski to ask her to pick up the bouquet, ``Which I've never in my life done before,'' she said. When she walked into the man's office to collect it, his female co-workers immediately guessed that he'd been fighting with his girlfriend, and she collected the still-intact bouquet without incident.

Business can sometimes be very hectic, especially since Kurowski says, ``I pride myself on doing last-minute. Customers like to call at the last minute - there's a wedding tomorrow, can you decorate?'' But she enjoys her flexibility. ``I can make my own hours, but I do work seven days a week.''

When there's time, she and her husband, Ken, a custom cabinet maker, can go to the movies or enjoy her parents' San Clemente beach home with their sons.

Kurowski said there's always a chance she might go back to having a storefront, but it will be only for balloons.