Many Edmonds Chamber of Commerce members and volunteers were shocked Oct. 27 by the news that the chamber’s tireless membership and events director, Valerie Claypool, was leaving the organization.

After all, Claypool had just returned Oct. 20 from a 10-day trip leading a delegation of 30 business owners and community members to China, and during that time had spoken enthusiastically about the chamber projects that awaited her in Edmonds when she returned, recalled Sno-King Signs owner Randy Hutchins, a long-time chamber member who went on the trip.

A news release sent out to chamber members, volunteers and the media Monday, Oct. 27 stated this: “On behalf of the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Directors and the entire Edmonds Chamber of Commerce membership, we would like to extend our deepest thanks and appreciation to Valerie Claypool for her many years of service as the Membership & Events Director of the Edmonds Chamber of Commerce.”

The reaction from the chamber’s rank-and-file members and volunteers, and some of its board members, was swift, as most of them were unaware that Claypool was leaving. The exception was the chamber’s executive committee, which had approved Chamber President and CEO Greg Urban’s decision to let Claypool go, said one veteran board member who spoke on the condition of complete anonymity.

Some board members were inundated by email inquiries from concerned and – in some cases angry – chamber members and volunteers. My Edmonds News received copies of some of those communications directly from business members who sent them, unsolicited, to us. Several of the chamber’s long-time volunteers also said in interviews that they were devastated by the news. Claypool was particularly known for her caring attitude toward all those who donated countless hours toward chamber events, from the Taste of Edmonds, to the annual Fourth of July parade and fireworks show, to the Edmonds Classic Car Show.

Neither Urban nor the executive committee will talk publicly about the specific reasons for Claypool leaving. Claypool herself said she prefers to take the high road, issuing a statement thanking “the community for all the phone calls, emails and letters written on my behalf.”

The board member who spoke with us said that not everyone on the board was in agreement with the decision that she be let go. Chamber Executive Committee Chairman Jack Loos said in an email that “since this is an HR matter, I cannot go into particulars,” adding “we have decided to go in a different direction.”

In a brief interview, Claypool proudly noted that during her two-and-a-half years with the organization, she doubled the membership to nearly 500 members. Her stellar sales performance was mentioned by many of those who questioned her leaving the chamber. “We’ve never had a salesperson in this chamber like this,” said Jim Meisenburg, who for many years has served as volunteer chair of the annual chamber-sponsored Edmonds Classic Car Show and also had a long career himself in sales. “[Valerie] made you feel good about sponsoring, buying things, going on trips, it doesn’t matter.”

Claypool, a former real estate agent who spent four years working as a volunteer on chamber events before being hired as membership and events director in 2012,  “was so easy to work with,” Meisenburg said. “She was the first one there, the last one to leave, she’d roll up her sleeves, no matter what it took. “

“All these festivals that the community is known for, that the community loves and are attached to, are going to be impacted” by Claypool’s departure, Meisenburg said.

“I’m just sick about, I really am,” Edmonds retiree Linda McCullough said of the news that Claypool was leaving. For years, McCullough has been volunteering at the chamber’s Log Cabin visitors center located across from the chamber offices. She also works the registration table at chamber events, staffs the information booth at the car show and serves wine in the Taste of Edmonds wine garden.

“Valerie has really established a rapport with all of the volunteers at the cabin that hasn’t been there before,” McCullough said. “She’s been so nice and so good and supportive of what we need.” Claypool was also “really good about recognizing people,” she said.

“She really brought life to Edmonds that wasn’t there before and I think it will be really difficult to replace that feeling that people in town have for her,” McCullough said.

Danielle Doster, a 27-year-old Edmonds native who started volunteering with the chamber as a college student, said that Claypool had a unique ability to “draw the younger generation in.”

“I am somebody who wants to give back to my community,” Doster said. “You don’t have a lot of people my age who are wanting to participate. I honestly believe that without her (Claypool) there, they are going to struggle significantly to get younger people involved.

“Valerie went out of her way to make a different connection with each person she came into contact with, each one of her vendors, sponsors, volunteers. Each one of those people have a special connection with her,” Doster said.

Many chamber members also expressed their dismay at losing someone who worked as hard to promote their individual businesses, as she did to promote the chamber itself.

“I always look forward to events with Valerie,” said Terri Hardan of Kafe Neo, an Edmonds Chamber member business that frequently caters chamber events. “She is a bright light and a joy to work with. I can’t express how disappointed I am to hear the news that she is leaving.”

Claypool’s organizational skills “allow her to see the total picture and at the same time be able to pay attention to detail,” wrote Sno-King Signs’ Hutchins in a letter to the Chamber of Commerce Board. “She works cohesively with the chairs of all the events, and can get things done on the fly to make the event look easy.”

Urban declined a request to be interviewed for this article, but he did say that the vacant position has been posted to the Chamber website and will also be listed elsewhere.

“There are no major changes with the position, unless the chosen candidate is able to take on new responsibilities,” Urban said in an email. Resumes will be accepted until 5 p.m. Nov. 15, with phone and in-person interviews to follow.

“I hope to identify and introduce a new person by the second week of December,” he said.

As for Claypool, she is reviewing other job opportunities and is already making plans to put together another trip to China — affiliated with an organization other than the Edmonds Chamber — as well as a reunion for those who went on the trip in October.

“It’s been a privilege to work in the community,” she said. “I appreciate the generosity of all the sponsors, Log Cabin information center volunteers, ambassadors, the committee and event chairs, the Downtown Edmonds Merchants Association, the Edmonds Museum and all the departments within the City of Edmonds. Mostly, I want to acknowledge the numerous hours and tireless energy of so many volunteers. I am sure in some capacity I will work with them, if not all of you, again soon in the future.”