Asheville Independent Restaurant group is without a long-term executive director. Again.

ASHEVILLE - An organization designed to guide locally-based restaurants is without a permanent leader again.

“We’re just in a transitional phase right now,” said Asheville Independent Restaurant Association Chair Elizabeth Button (Katie Button Restaurants).

In 2003, AIR, a nonprofit 501(c)(6) organization, was founded by four local restaurant owners to “create a culture of collaboration and stewardship” for Asheville’s small and independently owned restaurants. The membership-based group offers support and resources through advocacy, education, marketing, and networking.

Until Sept. 21, Laura Sheets McCall was the organization's executive director, according to Button. The next day, former Executive Director Jane Anderson returned to serve as the interim director while the organization restarts its search for a long-term replacement.

“We were fortunate that Jane was able to come back starting on the 22nd,” Button said.

In October 2021, Anderson stepped down so the organization could find a successor who could provide "fresh thinking and leadership." She'd served on the board and then as executive director for nine years. Anderson stayed on into the new year to assist with the recruitment and training process.

In January, longtime board member Kim Murray was announced as the executive director. In June, Murray stepped down to focus on operations of her restaurant, Creekside Taphouse, and McCall was named the executive director.

Murray was referred to as the interim executive director at the time of her departure.

“Jane was the executive director and really the only executive director for about 12 years and so due to her needing to step down for personal reasons last year,” Button said. “Kim Murray had decided that she was going to take the role as the executive director and then after a short period of time she realized it really wasn’t the job she was looking for. It’s pretty simple.”

In a news release announcing McCall’s hiring, AIR listed highlights from McCall’s resume that included extensive education and professional experience in nonprofit leadership, advocacy, public administration, public speaking and lobbying.

However, three months later, McCall is no longer with AIR.

Button would not confirm if McCall had resigned or been terminated, citing personnel confidentiality, but said all decisions are made by the board.

“Have you ever hired anyone? Have you ever had to terminate someone?” Button said. “I’m sure that you recognize that sometimes it’s hard to find the right fit for the role and the organization and that unfortunately — sometimes there’s trial and error in that process.”

McCall said she was unable to comment on the situation.

AIR’s board of primarily independent restaurant owners has experienced changes, too.

In March, Carolyn Roy (Biscuit Head) was elected chair succeeding Kevin Barnes (Ultimate Ice Cream), who was to remain on the AIR board, according to an AIR news release.

On Sept. 7, Button said she rejoined AIR’s board as chair, a role she held before Barnes.

Roy stepped down due to personal reasons and Button was reelected by the board by unanimous vote, said Vice Chair Mike McCarty (The Lobster Trap).

Regarding the future of AIR, Button said that the organization’s leaders are focusing on adhering to the mission, the values and the bylaws that the board revised in 2019.

“We’re focused on staying on track as far as an organization on what we should be providing and are providing to our AIR members,” Button said. “There’s a lot of work involved in running an organization where we’ve got 150-160 independent restaurants that rely on us to advocate for them and support them and offer educational training, which we do. We want to make sure we’re providing the kind of services that we always have and looking at more services that we can offer in the future.”

Other efforts are on strategies and providing training the board needs, she said.

“We’re in that position where we’ve got a team together and we’re all sitting down and having conversations and collaborating and talking about where AIR is going to go in 2023 and into the future, and that’s what’s most important to everybody right now,” Button said.

For details about the Asheville Independent Restaurant Association, visit airasheville.org.

Tiana Kennell is the food and dining reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at tkennell@citizentimes.com or follow her on Twitter/Instagram @PrincessOfPage. Please help support this type of journalism with a subscription to the Citizen Times.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Asheville Independent Restaurant Association amid leadership change