Executive Director Cynthia Mudge this week announced her retirement from her role leading the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce after more than four years in the position.
The Chronicle received a copy of her resignation letter.
In the letter, Mudge announced that she would resign from her role as the chamber’s executive director.
In the letter, she remarked that the change was not an easy decision and said the chamber had become an important part of her life.
“I am proud of what we have accomplished during my time with the chamber, and I feel I have achieved many of the goals I set for myself when I accepted this position,” Mudge wrote.
According to Mudge, her departure with the chamber is on good terms and comes during a lull in the chamber's summer operations. She added that while she has accomplished many of her goals with the chamber, she believes the chamber is looking for someone with more enthusiasm and focus for fundraising.
Mudge said she would help the chamber with the transition and expects to be available if needed at least through the end of August.
“My priority will be to ensure as smooth a transition as possible,” Mudge said. “I am committed to assisting with the transfer of responsibilities, organizational knowledge, current projects and other information that will help position the chamber and its next leader for continued success.”
Mudge had a scheduled absence for eye surgery, and she is expected to be out of the office through Aug. 10.
Mudge began her time leading the local chamber of commerce amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the spring of 2022.
According to a brief profile of Mudge on the chamber website, she moved to the Chehalis area in 2020 to take over her parents' farm with her sister. Her parents lived in the area and raised sheep on the farm for roughly 30 years.
Before the move, Mudge had served as the executive director of the Astoria Sunday Market in Oregon for nearly 13 years. She also brought additional experience, such as owning her own marketing and event management firm in Seattle and working as the executive director for the Oregon and Washington Bicentennial.
In the wake of the resignation, Chamber Executive Committee Secretary and former Chair Lindy Waring thanked Mudge for her tenure, adding “she got us to where we are today.”
Waring was closely involved in hiring Mudge at the time, serving as the chair of the chamber’s executive committee.
“It was a really tough time to come in as a director of the chamber,” Waring said. “She did a great job, and I appreciate everything she's done and where she's gotten us.”
According to Waring, the chamber plans to recruit new leadership from outside of the organization. While the structure of the chamber will remain the same with a relatively small staff, Waring added that the executive committee is looking for a new candidate to help the chamber “get to the next level financially.”
That next level, she believes, will be driven in part by focusing on securing sponsorships and more widespread membership in the chamber around the community.
“That’s our biggest thing is our growth,” Waring said. “Financially, we just need growth.”
