By admin 
Columbia’s key business advocacy group has named its next leader.
Jean Cecil Hudak has been selected as the new president and CEO of the Columbia Chamber, according to a Tuesday news release. A Wofford College graduate and a well-known face on Columbia’s business and civic scenes, Hudak will begin her leadership role with the Chamber in September.
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Hudak will take over for Carl Blackstone, who had been the CEO of the Columbia Chamber for 12 years. Blackstone announced recently he would be stepping down at the end of August to “pursue a new professional opportunity.”
Hudak has most recently spent eight years working for regional public relations powerhouse NP Strategy, including a stint as its chief operating officer. She also has previously served as CEO of website developer Beam and Hinge, and as a director of governmental affairs at the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.
“I am honored to be chosen for this vital position,” Hudak said in a statement. “The Chamber has been a big part of my life for more than a decade, and I look forward to serving our partners and our region’s business community.”
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Hudak has been active with the Columbia Chamber through the years. She has been a member of the Columbia Chamber board of directors for nine years. She was a member of the board’s executive committee and served as the board chair in 2021-22, and chaired its public policy committee from 2017 to 2019.
“The Chamber is excited to welcome Jean Cecil into this new role,” Columbia Chamber board chairman Terrance Ford said in a release. “She brings a wealth of leadership experience and a deep understanding of our business community, having served on the Chamber board and in state and federal government.
“Her knowledge, relationships, and commitment to Columbia make her exceptionally well-positioned to lead the chamber into its next chapter,” Ford said.
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