Mark Blackney

The Clovis Chamber of Commerce is operating under the leadership of an acting CEO after Mark Blackney abruptly announced his immediate retirement from the position last week.

He made the announcement on Wednesday, according to a press release from the Chamber, which didn’t disclose if Blackney gave a reason for his departure.

Blackney had worked for the chamber since 2003, serving for about the last 10 years CEO.

His wife, Fran, had served in a leadership position in the Chamber. She passed away unexpectedly in November 2015, according to the release.

With Blackney’s departure, former director of the Chamber’s governing board, Gary Honeycutt, is serving as interim CEO while a search for a replacement occurs.

“Other board members will be assisting the Chamber staff to assure that there is no interruption in service to members of the community,” said Shawn Miller, the city of Clovis’ business development manager. “The Chamber is in good hands.”