SEQUIM — Vickie Maples, Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce executive director for more than two years, has reluctantly resigned to attend to out-of-state family-related health and business commitments in California.
Her resignation will be effective April 15.
“It’s very reluctant,” Maples, 53, said Thursday night after the chamber board announced she would leave.
“I really enjoy the job,” Maples added. “I love the community.”
Christy Rookard, chamber board president, said Maples “will work diligently with the board to recruit and fill the executive director’s position prior to” leaving her chamber duties.
Maples said a selection committee is being formed to search for a new director and would meet next week.
“Our goal is to fill it before I leave, ideally to give me some time to work with the new director and assist with the new transition,” Maples said.
“And I will do everything to make it a smooth transition.”
The position’s pay range was $40,000 to $50,000 when Maples was hired, and the committee will have to decide what to pay the next director.
“The chamber’s doing great,” Maples said. “The person who is selected is going to be very fortunate.”
Supports chamber
Rookard said in a statement that Maples “voiced her complete support for the chamber members, the board of directors, chamber staff and volunteers, indicating that she has thoroughly enjoyed working with them over the past 2 ½ years . . . but at this time, it is important for her to be more accessible to her family and to attend to family business responsibilities in the coming months.”
The chamber board hired Maples — a former community and economic development manager who had worked in the central California communities of Delano and Porterville — in late July 2008.
Maples’ grandparents’ family farm used to be where Walmart is today at Washington Street and Priest Road.
Maples moved to Sequim permanently in February 2008 after a sabbatical, continuing to work as a private consultant to municipalities back in California.
Her experience working with city governments gave her the edge, former chamber board President Bill Littlejohn said then.
Maples succeeded Lee Lawrence, who was fired in January 2008 after less than six months as executive director. Maples said her accomplishments over the past two years with the board and staff included developing a merchants group and a business retention committee.
“It has been tough economic times for businesses, and I feel the support that chamber has been able to provide has been a great help,” Maples said, adding that it has been “a rebuilding time.”
“My hope is it’s created a solid foundation for the membership,” she said, which approaches 500.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Jeff Chew can be reached at 360-681-2391 or at jeff.chew@peninsuladailynews.com.