Brock steps down as president/CEO of Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce to take job in Ohio

QUINCY — LaTonya Brock has resigned from her position as president/CEO of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce, effective July 30.

A letter from the chamber on Thursday afternoon announced the news of Brock’s resignation. 

Brock, 48, is taking a position as a management consultant with Inclusity, a minority-owned and woman-owned company in the Toledo suburb of Perrysburg, Ohio. The company, founded by Maria Arcocha White, focuses on building and sustaining initiatives for diversity and inclusion, culture change and leadership development. 

Brock said she plans to remain in Quincy. She also will become a mentor and coach for personal development.

“I will certainly miss (working with the Chamber of Commerce),” Brock said. “Working with diversity and inclusion is what I’m really passionate about, and I’m still going to be passionate about helping businesses. I hope to work with them about retention, higher productivity, innovation and helping the business community.”

Chaka Batley, chairman of the Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, signed the letter. It noted that the board of directors has started discussions to appoint interim leadership. It will immediately begin a search to identify a new president/CEO.

“The board is dedicated to serving its membership and the community at large with the continued level of professionalism and care for which the Chamber is known,” the letter said. “We are very appreciative of Mrs. Brock’s contributions over the past five years, and (we) wish her well on her many future endeavors.

“The QACC is well-positioned to serve its membership as we continue to navigate through changing times and to meet the needs of the community that we serve.”

Brock, 48, took a job with the Chamber on Feb. 22, 2016. She was the membership director when the Chamber promoted her to executive director on Sept. 18, 2017. Brock replaced Amy Looten, who left the chamber in June 2017 for a position at a local bank. Looten had led the Chamber for 16 years.

The Chamber’s board of directors selected Brock out of 25 people who applied for the position.

A native of Indianapolis, Brock led a staff of up to 20 people at a credit union before coming to Quincy.

She was appointed to the Quincy School Board on June 3. Brock took over the seat held by Mike Troup, who resigned April 30 prior to becoming Quincy’s mayor. She is serving the remaining two years of his term. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Quincy School Board.