The Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce has selected a Habitat for Humanity CEO from Missouri as its new leader following what Chamber officers say was an extensive national search.
Beginning April 19, Cate Manley, the current CEO of St. Joseph Habitat for Humanity in Missouri, will be the Chamber’s new president and CEO. She succeeds Robert Agrusa, who became the president/CEO of the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association on March 1.
“I’m just thrilled about the opportunity to represent Apopka and really do some good work with economic development and workforce training in the area,” Manley said in a Wednesday, March 10, phone interview.
While at Habitat for Humanity, she increased revenues of its ReStore by 40 percent and quadrupled the number of homes the organization provided annually. She increased revenue by more than 150 percent through added offerings in training, and launching an estate-giving campaign to receive homes, buildings and vehicles, according to a statement from the Apopka Chamber.
Before her time as CEO of St. Joseph Habitat, Manley was a college president for American Institute Holdings, where she oversaw two college campuses, in Celebration in Osceola County and Denver, Colo. She also worked with EduK Group where she oversaw eight colleges serving 23,000 students. While working for EduK, she spent time in Central Florida as the company’s vice president of public affairs and corporate development.
In 2016, she was named a “Changemaker” and was invited to attend the White House United State of Women Summit by President Barack Obama.
The full story begins on page 1A of the Friday, March 12, issue of The Apopka Chief.
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