Nancy Carpenter is staying with the Columbus-Lowndes Convention and Visitors Bureau for at least another year.
Carpenter announced via press release Thursday afternoon she had signed a one-year contract with the board. Going forward, she will oversee operations of both the CVB and its affiliated nonprofit, the Columbus Cultural Heritage Foundation, in a combined role as chief executive officer.
Carpenter previously held separate positions as executive director of both organizations, each of which had separate salaries. During a lengthy executive session at an Aug. 15 meeting the CVB board — which doubles as the CCHF’s board — voted not to renew her position with the CCHF.
“What has been entered into is a contract between the board and (Carpenter) to serve as CEO of the CVB with various duties, which are pretty much in line with the duties she had in the previous (CVB) contract,” explained CVB Board Attorney John Brady. “She will have CEO duties at the CVB, and she will, without additional compensation, be coordinator and adviser to the board of the CCHF.”
Carpenter previously received a combined salary of $121,785, with $102,556 of that for running the CVB and the balance for running the CCHF. She will now be paid $110,556 in her new role as CEO, Brady said.
“Previously she was a full-time employee of the CVB … and had a separate contract with the Foundation on a part-time basis,” Brady said. “Now there is only one contract.”
Both of those contracts ran for three years. The new combined contract has a term of one year.
Brady said negotiations had been ongoing with Carpenter about her contract since that August meeting.
“The contract was presented to her after the last meeting, and there were some discussions between myself as counsel for the CVB and (Carpenter) about the terms,” he said. “The board authorized me to have those conversations with her, and to present the contract to her, and it has now been signed by her and President Liz Terry.”
The board will have to formally approve the contract before Oct. 1, he said.
“We are delighted Nancy is continuing her dual role,” Terry said in the press release. “She has done a wonderful job, and we are happy for Columbus and Lowndes County.”
“It is a great time in Columbus, Mississippi,” Carpenter said in the press release. “Visit Columbus and the Welcome Center teams are both excellent, and we look forward to continuing her work together.”
Carpenter declined to comment further Thursday afternoon, telling The Dispatch via text message that she was flying to Washington, D.C.
Carpenter took over at the CVB and CCHF in 2011. Her contracts with both organizations were last renewed in 2019.
The CCHF is a nonprofit affiliated with the CVB that oversees the Tennessee Williams Home, among other responsibilities. It also played a key role in the annual Spring Pilgrimage of the city’s antebellum homes.
In 2019 the Preservation Society of Columbus, made up of historic homeowners, notified the CVB that it wanted to take over the tour of homes portion of the Spring Pilgrimage. This year was the first time the PSC-led Pilgrimage was held, after the tours were canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carpenter’s contract had been discussed at several meetings over the summer. The topic came up at the CVB’s June 27 meeting, but no action was taken. The Dispatch reported at that time that the board was considering splitting the positions of CVB and CCHF director, as well as reducing the terms to one year.
Contract talks were taken up again at a July 13 special meeting, but no action was taken.
Brian Jones is the local government reporter for Columbus and Lowndes County.
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