Eden chamber president leaves job to move 'right around the corner'

EDEN — "Parting is such sweet sorrow," Shakespeare wrote, and it is ever true between friends and colleagues when one moves on to higher things. In the happiest of circumstances, however, that sorrow is tempered with proximity. Cindy Adams is lucky enough to have both.

Adams is leaving behind her presidency of the Eden Chamber of Commerce after 17 years working with the organization. She assumes new duties with the Eden Economic Development office next week as coordinator of tourism and special events.

Chamber members gathered at the Spray Mercantile Building this week for the year’s first Friday at Five, part networking event and part fundraiser, where Chamber board member Ed Holbrook presented Adams with a token of appreciation for her years of service. Simple yet enduring, a gift all of Eden can admire, the Chamber board and members planted a tree in Freedom Park dedicated to Adams.

Holbrook joked that he was challenged to keep remarks brief about such a prolific community leader.

He named the events and initiatives Adams began, from the chamber-sponsored spelling bee, the rubber duck regatta to regular luncheons to connect merchants and other members of the Eden community. He praised her work starting Temptations In The Garden with then-chairman Ken White, the Eden Business Expo, Downtown at Dusk, membership drives, and formation of the Eden Minority Business Association. To explain the amount of work Adams put into planning these and other events would make his speech run far too long, he said with a smile.

"Madam President," Holbrook said, "the one thing I will not be brief about, however, is the tremendous admiration, respect and deep affection that the members of this organization have for you, and the kind and gracious leader that you have been through all these years."

Chamber members present described Adams as a rare blend of planner, artist and leader. Holbrook earlier praised Adams for her willingness to partner with other organizations for events.
"She was very good at connecting with groups to do community enrichment," Holbrook said. "She started a job skills workshop for high school students, and that’s really an investment in the community. It ensures our future workforce has the skills to look for and get a job."

Chamber board member Jim Burnette praised her creativity, adapting unique ideas to local resources.

"We’re not going to be able to fully replace Cindy," Burnette said. "She’s got a lot of talent and Eden is very lucky to have had her at the chamber and to now have her working with the city."

During her remarks to the crowd present, Adams made sure to name the coworkers who taught her how to work hard, think creatively, involve the whole community and to continually reach a little higher for success each time. She said it had always been more than a job to her, and in a real way, grew up in the supportive chamber community since she first began there at age 24.

"This has been a wonderful journey and adventure for me," she said.

Earlier, she explained why it was such an emotional step for her.

"This is the end of a huge part of my life," she said. "But I’ll be right around the corner."

With that, she said goodbye till it be Monday, if not sooner.