The public face of the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce for the past seven years, Sharolynn Ullestad, has stepped down from her position as executive director.
Ullestad said her goodbyes last week and will move onto new things in the coming year.
“It’s time to do a new challenge,” she said.
Ullestad will stay in the area. She has maintained her Realtors license and has a project in the works, she said.
During her time with the chamber, Ullestad said she developed lasting relationships with many Scotts Valley business owners.
“I really enjoyed working with my businesses,” Ullestad said. “The chamber, they’re my family, and they will continue to be.”
Chamber board president Danny Reber wrote an email to chamber members on Monday to announce Ullestad’s resignation.
“If it had to happen, now is a good time,” Reber said. “We have a good team and the whole board of directors has stepped up. She left a well-oiled machine.”
Ullestad has been the driving force behind many chamber activities and events — monthly mixers, ribbon cuttings and seminars — since she was brought on in late 2006. Perhaps her biggest accomplishment has been the growth of the Scotts Valley Art and Wine Festival, put on each summer by the chamber.
“My No. 1 is the Art and Wine Festival,” Ullestad said. “It’s just grown and grown and grown. People are coming to Scotts Valley from the Bay Area, San Jose, Santa Cruz — It showcases our entire city. Everybody comes and sees our city.”
Reber said the Chamber is accepting applications for a new executive director, and that it will be hard to fill Ullestad’s shoes.
“For all the hours in a day, Sharolynn did quite a bit,” Reber said. “From the mixers to ribbon cuttings, she was the face of our chamber for seven years.”
Upcoming Chamber events include the annual Christmas Tree Lighting, at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7 at the Scotts Valley Community Center, 360 Kings Village Road, in Scotts Valley.
