Meredith Caddell
In a letter to Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Directors and Ambassadors Wednesday, Meredith Caddell announced she has accepted the position of Hopkins County Healthcare Foundation Director and will be stepping down as CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. Caddell has directed the chamber activities for over eight (8) years.
In her letter received by KSST Wedneday afternoon at 1 p.m., she wrote:
Good Morning Directors and Ambassadors!
This is a bittersweet moment for me…I am extremely excited to tell you that I have accepted the position as the HC Healthcare Foundation Director, and also extremely sad to tell you that I have officially turned in my resignation as the CEO of the Chamber of Commerce.
I was offered an incredible opportunity for me to learn something new and to continue to work for the good of this incredible community.
For the past 8, going on 9 years, I have poured my heart and soul into the Chamber of Commerce. I truly feel like it is my child. I LOVE my job here and I was not searching for a new job. When Jackie retired, I realized that there are not many opportunities in Hopkins County to do what she and I do and I might need to consider it. As much as I love what I do, I knew that I could not continue to do it for 15+ years…it’s just too much of a physical job. So, the only way I could continue to do great things for the community, but with a slightly less physically demanding job, was to interview for the Foundation Director position. Much to my surprise, they wanted me.
My hope and desire is for each of you to continue your commitment to this Chamber of Commerce. It is a wonderful organization and it deserves to have dedicated people who will continue to make sure it prospers. The Executive Board is already busy making plans to start the selection process for a new CEO. In the interim, I have agreed to continue with my responsibilities at least through the Dairy Festival if they have not found a replacement by then. Although I will begin my career at the Foundation on May 9th, I will take the laptop and continue my Chamber duties in the evenings. I will run the May Board & Ambassador Meetings and make sure that the Chamber does not suffer with no one at the helm. Cathey will stay on as Office Manager. Fortunately, she knows the ins and out of the day-to-day activities and will handle all of those. Brittany will continue to work part time answering phones and helping Cathey where needed.
To each of you, I am so extremely blessed to have been given the opportunity to work with you, to get to know you, and to call you friends…actually, to call you family. You have made my life at the Chamber INCREDIBLE and I will forever be grateful! Thank you for all of your support and I hope you will continue to support me on this next amazing endeavor I am tackling! Just like I did at the Chamber in 2008, I have BIG plans for the Foundation and I am excited for this journey! Please pray for me and my family as well as the Chamber of Commerce! I KNOW that God’s plan is always the right plan!
I love each and every one of you!
Meredith Caddell
President/CEO
Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce
300 Connally Street
Sulphur Springs, TX 75482
903-885-6516 (fax)
