Charlottesville chamber CEO to step down

Charlottesville Regional Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Elizabeth Cromwell will step down in February after four years helming the organization, the chamber said Tuesday. Cromwell’s last day is Feb. 17. 

Andrea Copeland, the chamber’s director of committee engagement, has been named interim president to manage the organization until a new president is named. The chamber’s board has appointed a search committee to find a new president. 

“Elizabeth led several high-profile strategic initiatives that have positioned the chamber as a willing partner and convener, raising the stature of our organization,” said Guy Browning, immediate past board chair, in a statement. 

In an email to chamber members, Cromwell offered insight into her decision. “Like so many others, I have given my personal and professional life a thorough self-assessment while navigating COVID and more. My aspirations and goals have changed, and the time is right to make some life changes,” she wrote. She plans to take a one-year sabbatical starting next month and travel to volunteer and work while immersing herself in various cultures.

“I will always be grateful for the colleagues and friends I have made in and around Charlottesville,” Cromwell said in a statement. “I was welcomed here with open arms and still see a business community primed for deeper collaboration and shared success. Personally and professionally, the time is right for me to take on some new challenges and adventures. I have learned a lot during my time here and am grateful to the board, the chamber staff, our many volunteers, our chamber members, and for all of my experiences here.”

Copeland began her career with the chamber in 2007, volunteering with the chamber’s ambassador corps. In 2012, she joined the chamber’s professional staff as director of member education services. She is also a graduate of Leadership Charlottesville, the Virginia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Management Program, and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) Emerging Leaders Circle. 

This summer, she will graduate from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s executive leadership development program with an Institute for Organization Management (IOM) designation.

Earlier this month, the chamber announced six new members of its board of directors and new board officers: Rita Bunch of Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital; Libby Edwards-Allbaugh of The Tax Ladies Inc.; Rudy Fernandez of Northrop Grumman Corp.; Allison Linney of Allison Partners; David Mitchell of Great Eastern Management Co.; and Todd Rowley of Old Dominion National Bank began three-year board terms this month.

Rebecca Ivins of Hourigan will lead the board as 2023 chairwoman. Along with Ivins, the board’s new executive committee includes Sasha Tripp of Story House Real Estate as vice chairwoman; Charlie Rogers of Innovative Software Solutions Inc. as governance committee chairman; Todd Rowley of Old Dominion National Bank as finance committee chairman; and Yolunda Harrell of New Hill Development Corp. as equity committee chairwoman.