The Templeton Chamber of Commerce “made the difficult decision” to let CEO Jessica Main go. The chamber board sent a letter to its members this week announcing their decision.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit the pocketbooks of many entities hard, including chambers of commerce. Back in April, the Templeton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors furloughed Main with the hope of bringing her back to move forward on summer events.

San Luis Obispo has slowly reopened, but large events are still not permitted. As a result, the Templeton Chamber of Commerce canceled its popular annual 4th of July celebration and Summer Music in the Park events.

With little to no revenue coming into the Chamber, the Board felt it necessary to not keep Main in limbo.

“With the pandemic and corresponding restrictions, like many of you, we have lost significant revenue such that it was impracticable to employ a full-time CEO,” the Board stated in its letter. 

“Based on those facts, the Board of Directors made the tough decision to furlough CEO Jessica Main on April 15, 2020, with the hope that we could bring Jessica back to plan and execute on summer events. Unfortunately, with the uncertainty of ability to hold events and related reduction in funds to further our mission, we cannot responsibly support bringing Jessica back on a full-time basis.”

The letter goes on to thank Main for her contributions to the Templeton Chamber of Commerce and the community.

“She will be greatly missed — we thank you, Jessica, for your leadership and your excellent contribution to the Templeton Chamber,” the Board stated in its letter. “It is our expectation that we’ll continue to see and hear from her in the community, so please do give her a ‘Thank You’ when you see her.”

Despite not having a dedicated full-time CEO, the Board stated it would continue to be an advocate for local businesses and the community, relying heavily on volunteers and its membership.

“This is not the end of our work, however,” the Board stated in its letter. “The dedicated Board, volunteers, and members of the Templeton Chamber will continue to actively advocate for the business community, provide valuable information and resources for your business, and will work to build on our already strong foundation until such time as we can resume our normal activities.”

For more information on the Templeton Chamber of Commerce, visit www.templetonchamber.com, or call 805-434-1789 (leave a message if someone does not answer).