The Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce reached a severance agreement Tuesday with former chief executive Doug Cole, who was dismissed in March.
Cole, who had headed the chamber since 1998, was fired by the chamber’s 15-member board.
Neither side would comment on factors that led to Cole’s exit or provide specifics about the settlement. Both sides described the settlement as amicable.
“The agreement paves the way for Doug to pursue his career and for the chamber to move forward with a new CEO,” board chairman Stacy Cornay said.
Cole, 40, described his six-year tenure at the chamber as “positive” and said he had no regrets about the split.
“The chamber is bigger and stronger than ever before,” he said.
Under Cole’s guidance, the chamber grew from about 680 members to more than 900; distribution of its Business Advocate newspaper went from 1,000 to 4,000, and its cash reserves nearly doubled.
Cole, an Oklahoma native who moved to Colorado in 1988 to work at the West Chamber in Lakewood, said he will use his 18 years of chamber experience to pursue work.
Staff writer Will Shanley can be reached at 303-820-1473 or wshanley@denverpost.com.
