By Linda Stinnett

Derby Chamber President Rhonda Cott announced on Monday that she is leaving her position.

The effective date of her resignation is open-ended to allow her to work as a new employee is incorporated into the organization.
“I plan to make myself available to the Chamber through the transition and will continue to be involved in the Chamber and the community in whatever ways I can,” she said.

Cott has worked for the Chamber since September 2004 and has seen it through several changes. Membership has grown and with it more programs and business opportunities.

The most significant change has been the Chamber’s move to the Welcome Center and that partnership with the city of Derby, Derby Public Schools and other key organizations.

“The Chamber has much to be proud of from the past and a lot to look forward to in the future,” she said.
The board of directors held planning sessions this past year, facilitated by the WSU Center for Community Support and Research. Through those planning sessions, a vision for the coming three to five years was developed.

“It seems like a perfect time to step aside and give a new director the opportunity to manage the plan from the start,” she said.

After leaving the Chamber, she hopes to have additional time to spend with her four grandchildren under the age of 5, who live  out-of-state. She will also assume more responsibility at The Informer, which she and her husband, Jeff, established.

The new position is being advertised through the Chamber’s website, www.derbychamber.com.