Partnership, chamber seek new CEOs

The chair of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce says its three-person search committee is set to hire the organization’s next chief executive officer.

Ian Parker said interviews by chamber board members are taking place over the next week or so meaning a person could be identified for the position by the end of the month.

“We sought applications up to Feb. 1 and we’re in the interview process now and hope to be hiring somebody shortly,” Parker said.

He would not say how many people the committee will interview for the job. The person hired acts as the main staff person overseeing a chamber with about 330 members in sectors that range from tech to retail and construction trades.

The former CEO Adrian White retired on Dec. 31 after more than five years in the position.

Over the past six weeks, membership and events co-ordinator Melissa Vickers has been handling the day-to-day operations of the chamber “under the board’s guidance,” Parker said.

He said the chamber would like to make the decision “as fast as possible.”

“It’ll be a board decision at the end of the day,” he said.

“The successful applicant they might not be able to start in February depending on where they are now and how much notice they are required to give.” In 2002, the Industrial Cape Breton Board of Trade changed its name to the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce, in order for the organization “to modernize our image and bring the organization in line with other business organizations in North America,” according to its website.

The chamber CEO is often called upon to speak on behalf of its members in the media and to act as a lobby when government decisions are made concerning the business community.

Another business organization, the Cape Breton Partnership, is seeking a new president and CEO. Keith MacDonald will step down from the job on Feb. 23 to become the new chief administrative officer for the Municipality of the County of Inverness.

The job advertisement calls for a candidate to “have the skills, understanding, tact, and awareness to work alongside public and private sector partners to champion economic develop initiatives” across Cape Breton Island.

Besides being responsible for creating, implementing and evaluating the annual strategic plan as approved by the board, the CEO also oversees a number of projects including the Cape Breton Regional Enterprise Network, the Prosperity Framework, the Atlantic Immigration Pilot, and the Local Immigration Pilot program, among other projects.

The deadline for applications is Feb. 22.

Although MacDonald will not be involved in the process of choosing his successor, he will be helping the board of the Cape Breton Partnership and the person who fills his role to ease the transition process.

“… We’re in the interview process now and hope to be hiring somebody shortly.”

Ian Parker, Chair, Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce