The voice and passion Kathy Mantz provided for the area chamber will be missed.
The Historic Cambria and Downtown Christiansburg business voice was stronger when she led the town and county chamber, and the new blended chamber transitioned successfully due in large part to her knowledge and skill.
Without her, the historic downtown post office may have remained closed.
Without her, the town's Wilderness Festival may never have been.
Without her, the downtown street revitalization project may have remained just something some folks talked about in 1998-99.
Since Mantz left Christiansburg's downtown, things haven't been quite the same.
No matter how good, new chamber members or staffers won't be able to come close to replicating the commitment to Christiansburg Mantz demonstrated.
Here's hoping her retirement is even more fulfilling for her than her career.