Lavern Squier isn’t making any claims of being settled in his new office since taking over as president and CEO of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.

In fact, on Wednesday — his third full day on the job — Squier said he wasn’t planning on spending much time in his office. Instead, he’s going to embark on a quest to visit as many of the 1,200 member-businesses of the chamber as he can.

“I’m going to get out of the office and into the membership base to find out what your issues are,” Squier told his audience Wednesday at a welcome luncheon at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott. “I’m going to try very hard to get out of those four walls and into the community.”

Squier has filled the chamber’s top position, which was left open in December 2002 when Bill Sepic accepted a similar position in Lansing, Mich. Squier took over the position from temporary president Jean Milstead, a retired Douglas County banker.

Squier praised Milstead’s leadership but said he wanted to get the organization out of the transitional stage it had been in during the past seven months.

“Overall, I believe our members want to see the chamber restored to its position as a leader organization in the community,” Squier said. “One that is fair and balanced and creates concepts for the community.

“It is hard to maintain momentum during a transition, and we just want to get that going again.”

¢ 6News video: Lawrence’s new Chamber of Commerce president gets started¢ ‘Bridge builder’ set to take helm (7-06-03)

Squier said he also would stress that the chamber must have a broad vision. The organization’s core mission still is to serve the business community, he said, but it also must be prepared to participate in a broad range of issues.

“We don’t want to be isolationistic in our thinking,” Squier said.

Squier came to the position after serving nearly 13 years as executive director of the Ellis County Coalition for Economic Development in Hays. He also has worked for the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce and has had a career in banking and insurance.

Larry McElwain, a Lawrence funeral director and chamber board chairman, said members had been impressed with Squier.

“He was the go-to person in western Kansas for a lot of issues,” McElwain said. “We know in time he’ll become the go-to person in northeastern Kansas.”