Felker, who has been with the chamber for 19 years, will retire as of Aug. 17. The chamber board named Chief Operating Officer Christal Howard as the interim president and CEO, which will start immediately, according to a June 20 chamber news release.
Howard started at the chamber in January as its chief operating officer.
“People say you should leave something better than when you found it, and I am very proud to have done just that,” Felker said in the release. “Working with an amazing team and board of directors over the years, we have grown financially in operations and reserves and achieved our Five-Star Accreditation.”
The background
During his time at the chamber, Felker founded the Leadership Exchange Trip program and launched the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, according to the news release. He also helped lay the groundwork for what will become the Frisco Chamber of Commerce Foundation, a 501(c)(3) addition to the current organization.
Quote of note
“The future of the Frisco Chamber is bright,” Board Chair Ashley Miller said in the release. “Tony has built an amazing team that is responsible for so many accomplishments, including the implementation of the strategic plan, the onboarding of the Frisco Chamber Foundation, and many others. Please join me in thanking Tony for his 19 years of service that have uniquely positioned the Frisco Chamber of Commerce as one of the top chambers in the country. Our community is better because of him. The staff and board look forward to continuing our unprecedented momentum as we connect, grow, lead and serve the city of Frisco.”
