Hoover chamber president/CEO leaving to take job with federal government

Toni Herrera-Bast, the president and CEO of the Hoover Area Chamber of Commerce for the past 2½ years, is leaving the chamber at the end of November to take a job in Birmingham with the federal government.

Herrera-Bast said she could not yet say for which part of the federal government she will work but would disclose that at a later date.

She came to the chamber in March 2021, taking the job previously held by April Stone for almost three years.

“It has been a privilege to serve the Hoover community,” Herrera-Bast said in a written statement. “Hoover is my home. I am raising my children here, built my career here and am grateful I was allowed to share my talents to build upon a strong chamber foundation.”

The chamber was great before she came, she said, but in recent years she has worked alongside the board of directors to take it in a different direction to better serve the diverse Hoover community, she said.

The chamber has developed a new strategic plan called Elevate Hoover and worked to strengthen its relationship with both the city government and regional private sector partners.

Herrera-Bast said she hopes she has helped lay the foundation for this new direction, but the board of directors is full of great leaders who share that same vision. She looks forward to seeing the chamber move forward with that initiative, she said.

When she first started at the chamber, someone advised her to always remember that the chamber belongs to the members. "I hope during my tenure that I have honored that because it is because of our members, our community and our city leaders that we exist," she said.

April DeLuca, chairwoman of the board of directors, said in a press release it has been a pleasure to work with Herrera-Bast the past few years.

“She has worked tirelessly through the chamber for the community,” DeLuca said. “The board of directors appreciates her vision, leadership and strategic thinking. She has been pivotal in bringing together the best minds, influencers and leaders for a strategic plan and body of work that will ensure a brighter future for our chamber and business community, together with a strong board of directors that is committed to continuing the growth of the chamber. While we are sad to see her leave, we are excited for her and wish her much success in the next chapter of her career.”

The board of directors plans to appoint an interim president and CEO while an executive search committee looks for a permanent one.

Herrera-Bast obtained a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and public administration from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1996 and moved to Hoover in 1997 when her husband got a job with AmSouth Bank.

Most of her background is in public relations, but she also obtained a master’s degree in human resources management and services from Troy University in 2004.

She spent 15 years as the public relations and marketing manager for the Birmingham Airport Authority, about five months as the director of media relations for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport and then moved back to the Birmingham area in 2019 to become the vice president of public relations with the YWCA of Central Alabama. She came to the Hoover chamber from the YWCA.

Hoover Council President John Lyda said he, too appreciates all that Herrera-Bast has done for the chamber during her tenure. She has helped bring a new mindset to the organization and led it through substantial growth, he said.