News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
Cheryl Mills resigned as Executive Director of the Sisters Area Chamber of Commerce last Friday. The resignation was effective immediately.
In a brief press release, the Chamber said Mills had left to "pursue other opportunities."
"We're moving forward," said Chamber President Tate Metcalf. "The current board of directors is a very enthusiastic crew."
That crew will step up to make sure the Chamber's Cowboy Christmas events and its Black & White Ball scheduled for February come together without interruption. Chamber staff will continue to carry out the Chamber's day-to-day operations as usual.
"We'll make sure the day-to-day operations continue as seamless as we can make it, and the board members all agreed to step up when needed," Metcalf said.
Metcalf said the board will be in no rush to find a replacement for Mills.
"Absolutely no one comes to mind," he said. "I think (the timeline for a replacement) is going to be determined more by when we find the right candidate. What we'll be looking for is obviously someone who understands the uniqueness of Sisters."
Metcalf said the Chamber needs a director with "a very strong marketing sense" to pursue year-round activities such as the Cowboy Christmas, which started last year but ramped up significantly this year. Metcalf says the Chamber has made strides in developing its marketing, and "we're just going to continue on with that path."
Mills came on board as the Chamber's Executive Director in September 2004, coming from a career in the hospitality industry.
Mills was not available for comment at press time.
"Cheryl's a really good person, and we wish her all the best," Metcalf said.
The Chamber recently elected new board members: Grant Cyrus; Kendra Littrell; and Patty Vandiver. Current board member Chuck Fadeley was re-elected.
Fadeley has been practicing law in Sisters since 1990. He has served on the chamber of commerce board of directors for eight years and has been president twice. Chuck provides his professional services pro bono to several community organizations, including the Chamber, Sisters Habitat for Humanity and SOAR. He is also the Deschutes County Justice of the Peace.
Cyrus graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Oregon State University Honors College with an Honors Bachelor's and a B.S. in Business Management. Cyrus returned to the area to serve as the general manager for his family's business, Aspen Lakes Golf Course.
Littrell has lived in Sisters for eight years and has a daughter attending Sisters High School. She has worked in the food and beverage industry for 14 years and currently works for Chef David Berger at FivePine Lodge and Conference Center.
Vandiver is currently a real estate broker with RE/MAX Town & Country Realty where her focus is on horse properties. She has been awarded the RE/MAX Executive Club and 100 Percent Club awards for her sales performance each year. Her son Andrew is a sophomore at Sisters High School.
New board members will take their positions on February 1, 2008. They will be officially installed at the chamber's annual installation dinner which will take place on Friday, February 8, at the FivePine Conference Center.
The installation dinner will include a farewell to current board members. Todd Dow, Kathy Johnson and Tate Metcalf, ending their terms at the end of January.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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