Chamber nears decision on new president
Interviews with the five top prospects for president of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce are under way, with expectations that a new leader for the 800-member organization will be on board in early January.
Jerry Whalen, vice president of Eastern Maine Health Care Systems and chairman of the chamber's 10-member search committee, says interviews will extend over the next several days with the hope that the committee can winnow the field to two finalists. Those people will undergo further interviews, culminating in a recommendation to the full chamber board in December.
"Our main goal, of course, is to find the right candidate, but we would love to have the new president on board at our annual meeting and dinner in January," says Whalen.
In advertising for the position, the board emphasized that the president serves as a high-profile community leader and advocates for the business and economic interests of the chamber's membership and its 21-community region. Other qualities, such as professional experience in personnel and financial matters, were also emphasized, says Whalen.
"We think the Bangor region is poised for some real growth and opportunity as we emerge from this recession," says Whalen. "We have been working ever closer with the Eastern Maine Development Corp. ... and we see the chamber continuing to work closely with EMDC as advocates for business retention and business growth."
Whalen said two of the candidates are from New England, with the others coming from the Midwest and South. A confidential national search was coordinated by Jessica Smart Feinstein, an executive search consultant with Portland-based Pemberton Swift, who screened applicants and spoke with more than a dozen prospects before the five top contenders were invited for interviews, says Whalen. He said seven of the search committee members are from the Bangor-Brewer business community and three are from the chamber's board.
The chamber president oversees a budget in excess of $500,000 and a full-time staff of seven. The position was vacated in June when former President Candy Guerrette was dismissed by the board for poor performance after serving the chamber for 13 years.
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