Cynthia Stanciel says she finally has the opportunity to do what she loves — to serve her hometown of Greenwood.
Last Tuesday, Stanciel, 35, was appointed the city’s new chief administrative officer. Her first day will be Dec. 14.
“I am finally getting a chance to do what I have wanted to do in Greenwood, and represent my city in a positive way,” Stanciel said.
After four or five interviews with Mayor Carolyn McAdams, she was offered the job.
“I was really impressed by her professionalism, her enthusiasm, and love of Greenwood,” McAdams said of Stanciel. “In my opinion, it takes that in order to want to do the best thing for Greenwood.”
Added McAdams, “This will be a good fit. You want somebody that has the desire and knowledge of Greenwood to move it forward.”
Stanciel said she hopes to continue the work the mayor began with Stanciel’s predecessor, Thomas Gregory. She also plans to make sure city ordinances are current and to take advantage of grant opportunities.
She said she is excited to be able “to serve my community on such a platform that will generate love, will generate positivity and will just show my character — not just for the city of Greenwood but for the residents.”
Over the years, Stanciel has worked for independent and private management companies, which have helped her gain different perspectives for the position, she said.
Stanciel has worked most recently as a public housing manager for the Greenwood Housing Authority. Prior to that, she worked as a regional, corporate, and assistant bank manager.
Stanciel said her motivation for everything she does is not only doing the right thing but also emulating strong women, such as her mother-in-law, Delores Stanciel, an assistant vice president at the Bank of Commerce. Cynthia Stanciel said her mother-in-law has not only had a long and successful career at the Greenwood-headquartered bank, but she is also a devoted wife and mother and active member in the community.
“I want to be able to leave my legacy showing that a woman can work hard, and she can write her own path, and she can be a wife and a mother and also career-driven,” Cynthia Stanciel said. “For me, I am motivated by a woman that can wear all of these hats and juggle them so well.”
Cynthia Stanciel is a Greenwood native and graduate of Greenwood High School. After high school, she moved to Memphis, where she lived for 16 years. While there, she earned a Bachelor of Business Adminstration degree from the University of Phoenix by way of Christian Brothers University.
She moved back to Greenwood after marrying Timothy Stanciel in 2016. He also works for the Bank of Commerce as an assistant vice president and loan officer.
The two have known each other since they were 7 years old. They were friends all throughout high school but did not date back then, Cynthia Stanciel said.
“I knew that coming back home would be a struggle since I had been gone for so long,” she said. “However, it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Having those small-town roots and understanding the Delta ... helped me to fit right back into where I left off at the age of 18.”
Stanciel stays active in the community as a volunteer for the United Way of Leflore County and as a member of Greenwood Leflore Young Professionals, the Delta Garden Club, the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce and Jones Chapel No. 1 Missionary Baptist Church.
In her spare time, she prefers to keep it low-key, watching movies and reading the Bible. She also loves to dance.
“I love spending quality time with my family and friends,” she said. “I love laughing, and I love making people laugh. I am silly, so I like to just be myself.”
• Contact Lauren Randall at 581-7239 or lrandall@gwcommonwealth.com.
