By Pacific Coast Business Times Staff Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Ventura Chamber of Commerce President and Chief Executive Officer Zoe Taylor is stepping down.

Taylor, who led the business group for more than 13 years, is in the final stages of starting her own consulting agency. She’ll help businesses connect to government agencies.

“I’ve been thinking about doing this for a while,” Taylor told the Business Times. “I have 26 years of knowledge about how this works, and I’m putting together something that will be a benefit.”

By the time her resignation is effective on Nov. 30, Taylor said, the chamber’s executive committee and board of directors will have determined her successor.

“I’ll be my own boss,” Taylor said. “It’s kind of scary, but exciting at the same time.”