Winter Park Chamber Announces Leadership Transition

WINTER PARK, FL. (FEB. 23, 2026) — The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce announced today that Betsy Gardner will step down from her role as the President/CEO of the Chamber. Her last day as President/CEO will be May 1, 2026.

 

Gardner has served as the President/CEO of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce since 2017, leading the Chamber to new heights in her tenure. The Chamber was awarded multiple honors under Gardner’s leadership, including being named as one of the top three chambers in the United States by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in 2023 and as the Grand Prize winner at GrowthZone’s international Chamber Innovation Awards in 2018. Gardner additionally oversaw the organization’s 2023 Centennial Anniversary, a year-long, citywide celebration featuring community-built public art, a high-energy outdoor concert, year-round activations and special member recognition.

 

Gardner championed new approaches that strengthened the Winter Park Chamber’s connection to and engagement with the community while empowering those it serves. She started the Chamber’s highly successful Relaunch program, which transitions professional women who have taken a career pause back into the workforce. To extend its impact beyond Central Florida, the Chamber launched the B Student podcast in 2025. Hosted by Gardner, the podcast has been viewed more than one million times on the Chamber’s YouTube channel. Gardner also started and led the Chamber’s annual “Art is Good Business” advocacy trip to meet with state lawmakers in Tallahassee and support state matching arts grants from an economic and business perspective. All Chamber events and programming, including Relaunch and B Student, will continue beyond May 1st.

 

“I am grateful for nine years at the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce and to our Board, staff, trustees, members and partners for all that we have accomplished together,” said Gardner. “After nearly a decade of leading this organization, I am leaving to start my own business in no small part due to the skills I have learned and connections I have made working with business leaders and entrepreneurs here in Central Florida. I am committed to a smooth transition and look forward to seeing what the Chamber achieves under the next generation of leadership.”

 

The Board has already begun a comprehensive search for the next President/CEO and has engaged Korn Ferry, the world’s leading executive search firm, to help fill the role. To register interest, candidates may submit materials to WinterParkChamberofCommerceCEO@KornFerry.com.

 

Gardner will remain engaged in a strategic advisory role with the Winter Park Ideas Foundation, the Chamber’s affiliated 501(c)(3), as it advances plans for the 2028 launch of the Winter Park Ideas Fest.

 

“Betsy has played an instrumental role in shaping the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce into the hub of innovation and cutting-edge thought leadership that it is known as today,” said Keith Wittingham, PhD, 2026 Board Chair. “Under her guidance, the Chamber has expanded its membership, programming and the tools available to our community with great success. The strength of our members and commitment to belonging guarantees that the Chamber is bigger than any one person, staff, board or organization, and the Chamber will continue all normal operations during this transition. We are confident in the strength of our leadership team and the path forward as we advance our mission.”

 

The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce continues to build on its mission of convening people and ideas for the benefit of our businesses and community. Recent initiatives, including expanded digital outreach and member-focused programming, reflect the Chamber’s ongoing commitment to growth, relevance and service.

 

“This Chamber is unlike any other I know of in the ways that it is constantly and consistently striving to find new ways to reach people,” said Gardner. “By expanding onto platforms like YouTube and launching the B Student Podcast, as well as continuing to grow impactful in-person programming, the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce is modernizing and redefining how a Chamber connects with its community.”

 

About the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce

The Winter Park Chamber of Commerce convenes people and ideas for the benefit of businesses and the community. A nationally recognized Chamber serving Winter Park and Central Florida, it provides custom-tailored solutions to business owners, leaders and community advocates. With a membership of more than 825 businesses, the Chamber offers connections, resources, opportunities, thought leadership and advocacy to help members grow and succeed. In addition to traditional business support, the Chamber operates the official Welcome Center for Winter Park, hosts more than 100 events and programs annually and has been a trusted community resource for more than 100 years. In 2018, the Chamber won the North American grand prize at GrowthZone’s Chamber Innovation Awards, an international competition. In 2023, the Chamber was recognized as a Top 3 National Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.

 

Contact

Jason Lederman
Chief Marketing Officer
jlederman@winterpark.org
407-643-1686