Chamber senior VP Miller resigns
Accepted new role in another market
After less than 18 months as the senior vice president of economic development for the Greater Memphis Chamber, Eric Miller resigned and accepted a new position in another market.
His resignation was announced Thursday morning in an email Chamber CEO Beverly Robertson addressed to “business leaders” across the city.
The letter did not say which market Miller would be working in next or when his last day on the job would be. By noon on Thursday, his photo, former title and contact information had been removed from a staff list on the chamber’s website.
“Eric has been an asset to our organization over the past year and we thank him for his service,” the chamber said in a separate statement. “Eric has another great opportunity in a market in which he has previous experience and relationships and we wish him the best in his new role.”
The chamber said Miller took the new role to be closer to his family. Miller could not immediately be reached for comment.
In her letter, Robertson said in Miller’s brief time with the chamber, he helped establish the Memphis & Shelby County Regional Economic Alliance and strengthened the Chamber’s research capability by adding a business intelligence function.
Miller was hired under former Chamber CEO Phil Trenary with 18 years of industry experience in Virginia, North Carolina and Oklahoma.
“I’m a competitive person, but I don’t like to just compete. I like to win. Memphis is poised to win,” Miller said in a prepared statement that announced his hiring in July 2018. “What I see in Memphis is a strong commitment from both the business community and the public sector to create a competitive business climate.”
The chamber did not say when Miller’s last day on the job would be or when he submitted his resignation.
Susan Maynor, vice president of economic development, will work with local and state-level partners to recruit companies to Memphis and Jin Cai, vice president of international business development will manage international business inquires.
The chamber will conduct a national search to hire a replacement for Miller.
Desiree Stennett covers economic development and business at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at desiree.stennett@commercialappeal.com, 901-529-2738 or on Twitter: @desi_stennett.