By Reggie Connell, Managing Editor
The Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce is facing one of its most turbulent moments in recent years after a series of emails between its chairman, executive committee, and president/CEO exposed a clash over governance, finances, and outside contractors.
Related: Developing Story: Leadership turmoil rocks Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce.
At the heart of the dispute is the termination of Dr. Nick Grounds, who has served as Chamber president and CEO since July 2024. Grounds insists the decision to remove him was made without proper authority. The Chamber’s chairman, Matt DiSalvatore, counters that the bylaws grant the executive committee the power to act.
The dispute unfolded in an email thread obtained by The Apopka Voice, beginning with the official termination notice sent on August 15th, 2025.
The termination letter
On Friday, August 15th, DiSalvatore sent a formal letter to Grounds announcing his immediate dismissal.
Subject: Notice of Immediate Termination
Dear Mr. Grounds,
This letter serves as formal notification that, pursuant to a decision made during an emergency meeting of the Executive Board of the Apopka Chamber of Commerce held on August 15, 2025, your services, and the services of NGM Consultants LLC, are terminated effective immediately.
This action has been taken in the best interest of the Apopka Chamber of Commerce to protect the integrity, operations, and reputation of the organization. The decision was approved by quorum of the Executive Board.
Effective immediately, you are to cease all work and representation on behalf of the Apopka Chamber of Commerce. You are further instructed to return any organizational property, keys, username, passwords, and login information to all digital accounts. Any documents, files, or materials in your possession without delay.
A full board meeting will be scheduled promptly to report this decision to the Board of Directors.
Sincerely,
Matt Disalvatore
Chairman
Apopka Chamber of Commerce
Grounds pushes back
Grounds responded quickly, disputing the executive committee’s authority to act unilaterally. His short reply, sent directly to DiSalvatore, challenged the legality of the termination:
Matt,
Thank you for your communication to me and Katelyn Grounds, terminating our contracts. The Executive Board does not have that authority to do so; it is a Full Board decision, which you do not have.
Once the full Board meets and the decision of the full Board has been made, then the termination of contracts can be finalized.
Best regards,
Dr. Nick Grounds
President & CEO
Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce
Grounds message to the board
Not long after, Grounds took his case directly to the Chamber’s full board of directors. In a lengthy email, he not only defended his position but also outlined financial issues, raised concerns about contractor payments, and accused leadership of acting without transparency.
Dear Advisory Board members,
I want to keep you all in the loop.
As some of you may be aware, Matt DiSalvatore, the 2025 Chairman of the Chamber, has decided, without Full Board consultation, to terminate my contract and the contract of Katelyn Grounds, both of which have a one-month clause, with immediate effect.
When I took over the reins in July 2024, the Chamber was bankrupt and also carried a $12,000 credit card debt and a $140,000 EIDL loan. There was also a balance sheet item for over $40,000 as a liability, with no paperwork as to what this was, and it was decided that once Angela took over the accounting, this line item would be taken off.
The Chamber has now paid off the credit card in full and has set up a payment plan for the EIDL loan. The events for 2025 have been fully funded, and the Chamber is in a reasonably solid financial position, with the prospects of an even better 2026.
The decision by Matt DiSalvatore appears to stem from my not employing Chad Creech to assist the Chamber, after June 2025.
I employed Chad Creech, with Board approval, to assist with the new computer systems and events. Chad Creech is also the President of Apopka Serves, a 501(c)3 charity foundation. The independent contractor agreement was put forward in the name of the Florida Growth Alliance, also a 501(c)3 charity. This contract is not in force as it was never fully signed.
Late February, Chad contacted Angela to claim that the $40,000 liability that was on our balance sheet were funds owed to Apopka Serves by the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce.
A meeting was arranged with the Executive Board and Chad to discuss this matter. The Executive Board all agreed that whatever transpired between the Chamber and Apopka Serves in 2023 and early 2024 had no paperwork and wassomething that should be taken up with the Apopka Serves board, which authorized any transactions. Chad was informed of this.
After the meeting, Chad's engagement with the Chamber started to wane to the point that I had to take on most of his responsibilities. In June, Chad informed me that the Florida Growth Alliance was severing all ties with the Chamber, which I interpreted to mean that this would include the independent contractor agreement.
I met with Chad to discuss what role he saw for himself from now on, and he told me he did not see a role. To safeguard the Chamber at this point, I changed the passwords to the sensitive websites of the Chamber. But last Friday, Matt tried to hack into sensitive accounts.
I informed Matt about this meeting. Against my wishes, Matt also authorized, again without board approval, to pay Chad via the Florida Growth Alliance $2000 in July for one hour of work. I requested that this payment get Full Board approval, but Matt refused to do so. I saw this as a misuse of Chamber funds.
I have previously made the Executive Board aware of Chad's waning interest in the Chamber, and it was agreed that his contract would be rewritten to reflect the substantially reduced amount of work he was doing. I also expressed concern over the conflict of interest in that he was serving as the President of Apopka Serves.
With Matt's direction, there have been numerous meetings between some members of the Executive Board and Chad. I was told by Matt that I would be informed about these meetings, I was not.
I have also expressed concerns to the Executive Board, about the payments going to the Florida Growth Alliance, as paying a "salary" to a charity could be interpreted as aiding and abetting tax evasion and possibly money laundering.
The Executive Board has been acting in an opaque manner with little to no communication with me or the Full Board.This leads to mistrust, and an explanation to the Full Board should be required.
There are many more details that the Full Board should be aware of, and these will come to light during the discussion.
My only interests are for the advancement and well-being of the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce and to build on the hard work of the last year.
I have requested an emergency Full Board meeting to discuss these matters.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Dr. Nick Grounds
President & CEO
Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce
DiSalvatore defends the decision
The chairman fired back, replying directly to Grounds and copying the entire board. In his response, he cited the Chamber’s bylaws as justification for the executive committee’s actions. He also made it clear he was not invited to the meeting and ended the email thread.
Nick,
Thank you for your response. I want to provide clarification for the full Board, as several members were not copied on your message. I have included the entire Board of Directors here to ensure all are informed. As outlined in the attached bylaws of the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce, the Executive Committee does have the authority to employ and therefore terminate the President/CEO.
Article IV, Section 3 states: “The Board of Directors, or the Executive Committee, shall employ a President/CEO (as a non-voting member of the Board of Directors and all committees) and shall fix the salary and other considerations of employment.”
Article II, Section 9 further provides: “The Executive Committee shall act for and on behalf of the Board of Directors when the Board is not in session and shall be accountable to the Board of Directors for its actions.”
On August 15, 2025, the Executive Committee, meeting with quorum, exercised this authority and approved the immediate termination of your contract. In accordance with the bylaws, this decision will be reported and reviewed by the full Board of Directors at an emergency meeting scheduled.
Effective immediately, you are directed to:
- Cease all work, duties, and representation as President/CEO of the Chamber as of 8-15-25
- Return all Chamber property, including keys, documents, files, login credentials, and other materials, without delay.
- Refrain from making any statements or taking any actions that could disparage or otherwise harm the Chamber, its reputation, or its members.
To be clear, you will not be attending the upcoming emergency Board meeting. This meeting is for Directors only. Finally, please note that the Chamber will not be engaging in further back-and-forth on this email chain. The bylaws provide clear authority, the decision has been made, and the matter will now move forward in accordance with proper governance.
A final message to the Board
Finally, DiSalvatore addressed the full board separately, emphasizing unity and the need for trust in leadership.
Dear Board Members,
As you know, difficult decisions were made by the Executive Committee this past week. These decisions were not taken lightly, but with careful thought and with the best interests of the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce in mind. We recognize that as elected leaders of this Chamber, you entrusted us with the responsibility to guide the organization with honesty, integrity, and sound judgment. We pray and trust that you will continue to have confidence in our leadership as we work together to safeguard the mission and future of the Chamber.
Please know that the Executive Committee is committed to operating with transparency, fairness, and unity. We hold no personal ill will against Dr. Nick Grounds or any individual. Our actions have always been and will continue to be guided solely by what is right, and what best serves the Apopka Area Chamber of Commerce and its members. To ensure that all members are fully informed, an emergency meeting of the Full Board has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 20, 2025. At that time, the Executive Committee will provide a complete report, and the Board will have the opportunity to discuss, ask questions, and collectively determine the best path forward.
We believe strongly that when the Board stands united, we are able to achieve the greatest good for our Chamber and our community. We thank you for your service, your commitment, and your trust as we navigate this important moment together.
I also realize this is last minute. If anyone is unable to attend. We can setup a time for you to speak with the Executive Committee on a phone call after of the board meeting sometime in the near future. We can setup times for this on an individual basis.
What comes next
With Grounds insisting the termination was unauthorized and DiSalvatore pointing to the bylaws, the conflict now shifts to the emergency board meeting on Wednesday. At stake are not only the Chamber’s leadership but also its credibility, financial oversight, and relationship with its members after Grounds' allegations.
