Dear Members:

As you know, the Chamber is in the midst of a leadership transition. In taking on this process, it is a good time to have a conversation about the role of the Chamber and what our members seek in the leader of our organization.

The Chamber’s president and CEO is not only the head of a multi-faceted business, this executive is the spokesperson for our business community, analyst of public policy, counselor to executives and entrepreneurs, community ambassador at-large, and visionary for where our community needs to go.

Our process moving forward isn’t a simple “replacement” of the Chamber’s president. Instead, we are focused on taking the time to define the outcomes that we believe our next leader needs to achieve. This will help us make sure we are selecting the person best suited for the job.

This will require some time, research and, most important, engaging with you, our members, and other community and civic leaders. While we do this, our solid, talented staff and interim leadership of the Chamber will remain in place, working for you, our members.

We are confident that as a board we can take a step back and focus on this decision, while the staff executes the remainder of this calendar year’s key objectives.

The board is mindful of the Chamber’s broader role in our community. We are on the eve of celebrating our centennial anniversary and look forward to building on our success for another century.

It is our goal to make our selection before the Thanksgiving holiday. We will post a formal job description, begin accepting resumes and start the interviews process in a few weeks.

The search and selection committee is hosting a membership forum on Wednesday, July 18, from 7:30 – 9 a.m., at Cafe N Play, 1767 W. Ogden Ave., Suite 155. You’re encouraged to attend and participate and can make your reservation online or by calling the Chamber at 630-355-4141.

You are our most important customer and we want you to be engaged in this process. If you can’t make the membership forum, please reach out to your representatives on the board and selection committee.

Sincerely,

Shane Beard
2012 Chairman of the Board of Directors
Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce