Sprunger leaving chamber

Tabby Sprunger will be leaving Jay County Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber announced in an email to members Thursday morning that Sprunger, the chamber’s executive director, has accepted a new job.

“Tabby has graciously agreed to assist the board while we work through this transition,” the email signed by board president Josh Stewart, vice president Tami Vormohr and secretary Zach Chenoweth said. “We are very thankful for all of her hard work and commitment to not only the chamber, but Jay County as a whole. Although we are sad to see her go, the board supports her in her new journey and we wish her the very best!”

Later Thursday morning, Sprunger told The Commercial Review her new job with Moo Juice Express of Berne will begin Monday. She will work as a human resources generalist and administrator.

While details are still being worked out with the chamber’s board, she said she intends to continue in her role as chamber executive director and follow through on projects she has been involved with, including the state’s Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) 2.0, until her successor has been hired.

“I’m still the chamber girl until they get somebody else,” Sprunger said.

“This is really, really hard for me,” she added. “I love this job with my whole heart.”

The newspaper was unable to reach Stewart for comment before press time.

Sprunger said her decision came before comments made by Jay County Commissioners during an administrative meeting July 8 during which they were critical of the chamber and various other local organizations. She added that she was in a meeting informing the chamber board about her decision to take a new job at the same time the administrative meeting was happening.

But, she said, watching the video later that afternoon confirmed that she had made the right choice.

During that meeting, commissioners informally agreed not to commit economic development income tax funding for the chamber, with commissioner president Chad Aker questioning why the organization asked for a larger amount of funding than in previous years, discussing Sprunger’s pay and sharing a conversation he had with a chamber board member indicating that, “Tabby is really good at about 30% of her job.” 

He added that he told the chamber board member, “To me, your board needs to, I’m sorry, but it needs to grow some balls and they need to address the issue.”

Sprunger said she is proud of the work she has done at the chamber, specifically in creating community. She said the chamber had fewer than 200 members when she started, and it is now at 367. She noted increased attendance at the annual Jay County Community Awards, expansion of Winterfest activities to Jay County Fairgrounds, the launch of LIFT (Leaders Inspiring Females Together) Jay to connect professional women in the community and increased use of chamber gift certificates.

“I love Jay County,” said Sprunger, holding back tears. “It is just killing me that I’m not going to be able to be here (in the chamber office). Everything about it — the people, all the events.

“When I got the job, I actually said, the reason I applied was because I felt like I was at  a point in my life where I wanted to be able to make a difference. I wanted to do what I could for my community to make a difference.

“That’s what makes it so hard, because I felt like the chamber was doing that.”

She also acknowledged the chamber’s financial challenges Thursday, saying one of her goals during the next few months is to put the organization in a strong position for the next executive director.

Sprunger has served as executive director of the chamber for a little over four years. She was hired in March 2020 following a less than four-month stint by Carey Cook. Prior to Cook, Dean Sanders held the job for more than five years.

The chamber will maintain its current office hours, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday until a new executive director is hired.