Crain returns as Troyer leaves Chamber of Commerce

Maricopa Chamber of Commerce announced the departure of Executive Director Sara Troyer and the return of Terri (Kingery) Crain.

Troyer led the chamber for a little more than a year and, 20 at the time, was one of the youngest chamber directors in the nation. According to chamber statistics, its membership increased by 12 percent and event attendance grew by 35 percent during her tenure.

 Crain was chief executive officer of the chamber from 2006 to January 2011. She then moved to California to be CEO of the Santa Clarita Valley Chamber of Commerce. She was praised for her hard work and credited with growing Maricopa Chamber’s membership by 400 percent, but she also left some controversy in her wake.

Crain worked at the Santa Clarita Chamber until April 2016. She will return to the post in Maricopa on May 15, moving back to her home in Rancho El Dorado.

“On behalf of the entire membership and the Board of Directors, we are so grateful for the time Sara spent with the Chamber; she did a fantastic job,” Chamber Chairman Chris Cahall said in a chamber statement. “We are excited and looking forward to supporting Terri in her position as our new executive director.  The Board is confident Terri will continue to support our members and foster the relationship we have with the city into the future.” 

Troyer is moving to Illinois to be program specialist for the College of Dupage Center for Entrepreneurship. Before coming to the Chamber of Commerce, she worked at the Maricopa Center for Entrepreneurship.

Crain opened her own small business in 2010, Smart Business Evolution.

“The City of Maricopa is a great community full of passionate and committed people and I have always thought of it home,” she stated in the chamber release. “I am looking forward to re-engaging with the business community and doing the good work of the Chamber.”  

Troyer was hired after an extensive search when Marla Lewis resigned. The process used in hiring Crain is not yet clear.