On Monday afternoon, Whitesboro city staff, leaders and members of the community gathered at City Hall for a surprise retirement party for Economic Development Corporation (EDC) Director Lynda Anderson, who is stepping down from her position after 15 years.
Anderson, who was adequately surprised by the event, tearfully told everyone, “I’m going to miss you all so much.”
In 2004, Anderson was living in Alberta, Canada, where she and her former husband were stationed. They moved to Texas and started their search for a permanent home in Gainesville, as they wanted to be close to a major airport for ease of travel.
Anderson found Whitesboro while on Christmas vacation, discovered a home she loved, purchased it and continues to live there to this day.
After settling into her new home, Anderson was hired by Whitesboro Area Chamber of Commerce President Janice Crawley to help manage the Peanut Festival that year. After the event, Anderson was hired on as the chamber’s secretary. Eventually, when Crawley left the chamber, Anderson became the new chamber president.
Anderson eventually left her position with the chamber to take a job in Gainesville. Not long after, Mike Pack (who currently serves on the City Council) reached out and asked her to consider taking the role of the Whitesboro EDC Director. The position had been vacant for a couple of years and the EDC boards were in need of some direction. Anderson started the job in 2012.
“I thought it would be a lot of fun being active in the community,” she said. “The thought of bringing in new businesses was exciting. I didn’t know that I’d also be able to have a hand in Parks and Recreation and be part of the walking trail, the speakers downtown – I’ve loved all of that. This job has been a lot of fun for me.”
As much as Anderson has enjoyed her job, a lot is different from when she started 15 years ago.
“I think of all of the businesses that have changed, a lot of the people who were so active in the community that we’ve lost. That’s really what spurred me to go ahead and retire,” Anderson said. “I want to retire now so that I can enjoy it.”
The role of EDC Director has come with some challenges, as well.
“It amazes me the way things change so fast,” Anderson said. “And yet, it’s hard to make changes to the community. People don’t like change, but all of the changes are so good for us. I’m happy that people have started warming up to it.”
Although Anderson is proud of all of the projects she’s been part of, standouts have been helping to get the new water tower built, creating the walking trails at the local parks and bringing in Hughes Lumber, a contractor-focused lumber yard and building supply company located off Locust Street.
“Really, I’m proud of anything that has helped to increase the quality of life for our citizens,” Anderson said.
But above all, the thing she has enjoyed most about her job the past 15 years is working with her Economic Development and Industrial Development boards.
“They’ve been the absolute best,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for better leadership on my boards.”
Anderson’s last day was Jan. 7. Her successor Kathy Moore, who was previously the EDC Director for Durant, Oklahoma and has been serving Whitesboro in a consulting role for the past several weeks, will take the helm full-time this week.
“Kathy has been doing a lot of planning. She’ll take this role and run with it, and I know she’s going to do an awesome job,” Anderson said. “She brings the youth that this job needs. She’ll take what we’ve got and make it better.”
Once retirement officially kicks in, Anderson has big plans. Having recently returned from a trip to Ireland and Holland, she has booked a trip to Italy in June. It’s a place she’s never been.
But the first item on her agenda is to take her mother to her 91st birthday party this month.
“My mother turns 91 this year, and I’m looking forward to spending as much time with her as I can,” Anderson said of her retirement plans. “I’m looking forward to a lot of family time and spending more time on my hobbies.”
Anderson is a craft sewer and is looking forward to spending more time in her she-shed focusing on the projects that bring her the most joy.
Despite all of the free time and travel that awaits her, leaving her 15-year position is somewhat bittersweet.
“I’ve enjoyed my job tremendously,” she said.