WINNSBORO – After 21 years of service to Winnsboro and Fairfield County, Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce Director, Terry Vickers, announced during a Chamber board meeting last week that she is retiring.
“We owe her so much,” Chamber Chairman Harper Shull said about Vickers and her work with Chamber. “Obviously, I share with everyone in the county a great appreciation of Terry’s 21 years of service to our Chamber and our community. I certainly understand her wanting to retire to the next phase of her life, but finding someone to replace her, someone who loves Fairfield County as much as Terry does, will be difficult,” Shull said.
Vickers said, simply, “It was time. I have loved his town, this county, the people in it and the merchants who I have worked so closely with over the years. So it is difficult to say goodbye. But at this stage in my life, it is time for our family’s chapter.”
Vickers moved to Fairfield County in 1994 after retiring from 27 years with First Union Corporation in Gastonia where she worked in marketing, commercial, consumer and mortgage lending.
“My husband, Steve, and I moved to the Lake and joined Lake Wateree Presbyterian Church where we became friends with several Chamber of Commerce board members,” Vickers recalled. “I volunteered at several Chamber functions and then took a part time job in the Chamber office.”
In 1996, Vickers became full time Director of the Chamber where she began growing the membership through networking and adding benefits to make membership worth the investment. Under her guidance, the Chamber began working with the S.C. Chamber, Columbia Chamber and, for a time, the U.S. Chamber. Vickers became a member of the Carolina Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and was soon promoting Lunch & Learns, Business after Hours and brought merchants together to plan the first Rock Around the Clock street festival which has continued to grow and had its largest crowd ever earlier this month.
“When I first came to Winnsboro, I thought, what a charming town,” Vickers said. “And as I got to know people in our church and the different community groups, I felt a true love for our new community. And I still feel that love, even more so today. As much as I look forward to going home to North Carolina, it breaks my heart to leave Fairfield County.”
“I can’t say enough good things about Terry,” Shull said. She’s the reason I accepted the chairmanship of the Chamber. She has a heart of gold. And she is going to be greatly missed by all of us. We, at the Chamber and, I’m sure everyone in the community, wish her well.”
Vickers said she will be busy painting some rooms in her home for the next couple of weeks to get it ready for sale.
“Then Steve and I will be packing up and leaving for Gastonia, North Carolina, where we grew up,” Vickers said.
Vickers said her longtime Administrative Assistant and good friend, Susan Yenner, will continue in the Chamber office.
The Chamber board will host a farewell reception to honor Vickers is Thursday, Oct. 26 from 5:30 – 7:00 at 142 S. Congress Street, Winnsboro.
