Chamber restructures with all-volunteer support

CRESTVIEW — The Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce recently has experienced some restructuring.  

“Our chamber is being run 100 percent by our members and by our volunteers,” Christie Cadenhead, chair of the board, said. “Right now, we’re running our day-to-day operations just business as usual.”

The difference is that support for those operations is now entirely volunteer-based.  

“Yes … we have had employees in the past that no longer work with us, and while we work through this transition it is yet to be determined what the outcome will be as for future staffing,” Cadenhead said. “We’ve experienced some transitioning, but we are moving right along.”

Transitioning from employing a staff to all-volunteer efforts is among a number of changes in the organization, which promotes networking along with business growth.

Former President and CEO Valerie Lott, who served in her position since 2015, left the organization earlier this month; Tom Moody, the board’s president emeritus, now serves as interim CEO.

Sandra Wilson, the former membership and events coordinator at the chamber, left her position in late June for the Main Street Crestview Association, where she is the program manager.

“I’m not familiar with the changes or why they were made,” Wilson said referring to her former employer. “I’m with Main Street now; I got a great job … For me, the turnover was pretty seamless, and a great opportunity with Main Street.”

The chamber experienced an Aug. 27 fire that caused $200 in damage and investigators have treated as a possible arson and burglary; however, Moody is just as optimistic for the chamber.

“We are operating as normal,” Moody said. “We are doing some reorganizing, but our membership is good.”

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Chamber restructures with all-volunteer support