Lonnie Boyd, the president and CEO of the Winfield Area Chamber of Commerce, has resigned to become Southwestern College’s director of human resources.
"Although I am looking forward to a new professional challenge, leaving the chamber will be bittersweet," Boyd said. "I have had the pleasure to work alongside an amazing group of volunteers and community leaders who have proven time and time again how much a community can accomplish when it has the passion, vision and leadership to make things happen."
Boyd has been with the chamber nearly eight years. Her resignation is effective Jan. 28. She and her family will continue to live in Winfield.
"Lonnie has been a joy to work with and has been a tremendous asset for the Winfield chamber," board president Michael Niederee said. "It is challenging to lose such a talented CEO, but this change provides a great opportunity for Lonnie.
"The board of directors is very thankful for her eight years with the chamber and wishes her the best for a successful future," he said.
The chamber’s executive committee plans to create a task force in response to the transition. The group will determine whether to adapt the chamber’s current staff structure or position descriptions to better serve the needs of the organization and community, according to Niederee.
"This is the first time Southwestern College has had a full-time director of human resources and we’re very excited to have an alumna with a business background filling the position," college president Dick Merriman said.
Boyd began her career with the chamber in 2001 as community events coordinator, a position that was newly created at that time as a partnership between the chamber and Winfield Convention & Tourism. She was named interim director in 2006 and was offered the CEO position in November of that year.
An informal reception will be held for Boyd in conjunction with the chamber’s 2008 annual meeting and awards banquet Jan. 27.
Boyd will continue to serve as a community volunteer which currently includes positions on the United Way of Cowley County board, as a member of the 2009 Leadership Cowley County Development Team and Winfield Human Relations Commission.