OWEGO — Andrew Hafer, the next president and CEO of the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce, starts his new post on May 29. Hafer will succeed Gwen Kania, who is retiring May 28. Kania has worked for the Tioga Chamber since 2008 and has been its president and CEO since 2014. New CEO Hafer has […]
OWEGO — Andrew Hafer, the next president and CEO of the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce, starts his new post on May 29.
Hafer will succeed Gwen Kania, who is retiring May 28. Kania has worked for the Tioga Chamber since 2008 and has been its president and CEO since 2014.
New CEO Hafer has worked for Tioga Opportunities, Inc. since 2007, serving as energy services director, community services director, and operations manager.
Tioga Opportunities is a private, not-for-profit, multi-purpose, inter-generational, human-service agency started in 1965. It provides community development, energy, family, and housing services.
Hafer also served on the Tioga County Chamber board of directors from 2015 to 2019.
“Andy is such an asset to our community and the chamber is pleased and excited to have him on board,” Roseann Cole, chair of the Tioga Chamber’s board of directors, said.
Hafer has a bachelor’s degree in business administration degree from Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. He lives in Owego with his wife and two sons.
Outgoing CEO
Kania spoke with CNYBJ earlier this year about her decision to step down.
“I’ve always kind of thought I’d be retiring at this age I’m at,” Kania, 59, told CNYBJ in a Jan. 22 interview. “But last year I had a bout with breast cancer and look at life differently. Priorities have changed.”
She said she looked forward to more time with friends and family, golfing more, working on some projects around the house, and then looking at what work she wants to do in the future.
During her tenure in the top spot, the Tioga Chamber added new programs such as the annual job fair, the on-the-job training program, and Restaurant Week.
Kania says her top challenge has been “doing everything that a big chamber would do with just 2 people.”
The Tioga Chamber’s other staff person is Sally Yablonsky, interim director of operations. She recently rejoined the chamber staff after 12 years away due to “family duties of eldercare and grandbabies,” according to her bio on the chamber website. “When I got the call asking me to come back, only [on a temporary basis], it was a very easy decision to make,” she said.
Adrianne Goodrich was the chamber’s previous director of operations.