CENTERVILLE When Wendy Northcross arrived at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce offices in April of 1997 to begin what had been promised as a one-year term as interim executive director, she found what she called “a very tired chamber.”
Northcross was fresh off a one-year stint setting up Coastal Community Capital, a community development lender, when the county asked her to take the helm of the chamber as it merged with the Barnstable County Economic Development Council.
“They said ‘Wendy, it’s just a year. Just keep the lights on,” said Northcross, 66, who announced her retirement Monday after 24 years as the chamber s CEO.