Director resigns from the chamber

Hoebelheinrich said she is grateful for the relationships she has built with local businesses during her tenure.

“Our business community has been so welcoming and so determined to make Cody the best it can be,” she said. “We have something really special here in Cody, and I’m going to miss it.”

Hoebelheinrich was hired as the CEO of the Casper Chamber of Commerce, where she will begin work in mid-April.

Hoebelheinrich joined the chamber in December 2015 as the replacement for former CEO Scott Balyo. When she was hired, she brought her passion for developing relationships and for a community she had loved since she was a kid working at the Bill Cody Ranch during summer vacation.

“I truly love this community,” Hoebelheinrich said. “And getting to work with our amazing local businesses has made me love it even more.”

Hoebelheinrich said that, when she joined the chamber, there had been a “revolving door” of leadership, and she said she was proud to provide stability for the organization during her tenure.

“There had been no longevity in this office, and it’s hard on an organization to have that kind of turnover,” she said. “So I’m proud of the stability and the growth and the changes we made during my time here.”

During Hoebelheinrich’s tenure, the Cody chamber has replenished its reserves, grown staff, increased member benefits and brought stability to the organization, according to a chamber press release.

Among the projects she’s been a part of, Hoebelheinrich said she was most proud of a recent endeavor: the Work-Ready Boot Camp program, which trains youth workers in the soft skills they need to be successful in the workplace. The six-week course was launched in April 2022.

“I think that program addresses a real need in our community,” she said. “I know it will make a difference in the lives of a lot of local kids.”

Chamber board president Lisa Del Valle did not respond to requests for comment on the upcoming hiring process before press time. However, Hoebelheinrich said the board is interested in hiring locally if possible.

“I’ve had some conversations with the board chair and past chair, and they both hope somebody local will be interested and be the right fit,” she said. “We love the talent pool we have here in Cody, and we’d love to hire somebody who is local and community-minded.”

Hoebelheinrich said she encourages her successor to be involved in the business community.

“My best advice would be to stay active in the community, develop relationships and work towards making the business community a better place,” she said. “I just think that, whoever they are, they will be incredibly fortunate to live and work in Cody.”