Anna Woodward, director of the Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce, holds the Chamber's license granted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. This year, 2025, marks the 78th year of operation for the local Chamber.

Anna Woodward, Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce director, on Monday announced her resignation from that position.

Her last day will be on Friday, October 24.

Woodward has accepted a role with Iowa Central Community College, according to a media release from Chamber Board President Jamie Griffith.

Former Chamber Board President Mark Ferguson said Woodward was “tireless” in her pursuit of improvements in Webster City

“During her tenure, Anna helped strengthen our business community and promoted Webster City as a destination,” Ferguson, who is still a member of the Chamber’s board, said.

“She worked tirelessly to promote our community and support business development in the

downtown. We are fortunate to have benefited from her leadership, and I’m excited to see her take the next step in economic development. I know she will remain a strong supporter of Webster City.”

Under Woodward’s leadership, the Chamber “launched and expanded Market Nights, advanced promotion and tourism initiatives, created small business development opportunities, and maintained a commitment to supporting entrepreneurs,” the media release from Griffith stated.

Griffith added, “The board of directors is committed to delivering excellent service to our members throughout this transition. We will begin discussions about the

organization’s next chapter and will keep members informed as decisions are made.”

Chamber programming is expected to continue as scheduled. That includes Ladies Night Out, which is this week on Thursday, October 9, and the annual Christmas in the City celebration on December 6.

Woodward became the Chamber’s membership director in January 2022. Originally from southeast Iowa, Woodward and her husband relocated to Webster City in 2021 from the Quad Cities, according to Daily Freeman-Journal files.

“This is probably the first time in our married life with our children that we’ve lived close to family,” she said then. Her husband has family in the area. “We’re definitely enjoying Webster City. I like how walkable the city is.”

Woodward grew up in a small family business and said she’s always enjoyed working in retail. She’s a graduate of Iowa State University with a degree in apparel merchandising and design. She also previously worked for Younkers in the visual merchandising department and interned and worked on a consulting basis with the Iowa Downtown Resource Center and Mainstreet Iowa.

She became the Chamber’s director later that year.