Archive for Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Chamber choice
The search for a new Lawrence Chamber of Commerce president and CEO shouldn’t be a popularity contest.
May 20, 2008
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A recent Journal-World news story reported developments in the search for a new president and chief executive officer for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.
An executive search firm has been hired, and a number of Lawrence residents have been interviewed by representatives of that firm. Several gatherings were held in which more than 100 residents offered their opinions as to what kind of individual should be hired and were asked what they thought were the major challenges, strengths and/or deficiencies of the chamber. Plans also call for a survey, e-mailed to approximately 1,500 residents to find out what these individuals think about the chamber.
After all of this, and after the search firm suggests “X” number of people to be considered for the job, the plan is to invite three “finalists” to Lawrence to participate in a series of public meetings. The news story reported that everyone will be invited to attend these meetings and ask questions, form opinions and fill out evaluation forms grading the finalists.
According to the story, the goal is to recommend to the chamber board of directors a candidate with “the widest possible appeal, most desirable skills and best chance for success in a community where consensus on economic development and other issues often has proven elusive.” Apparently, the new chamber CEO is to be selected through a series of town-hall-type meetings with the most popular individual being recommended for the job.
Lawrence needs the best qualified individual, a person with vision and an excellent record of success. This person needs to be familiar with the difficulties of running a chamber of commerce in a university community where there are many different opinions and residents are proud of their special interest groups. He or she should have dealt successfully with the “growth vs. no-growth” debate and have experience in a community that is becoming more of a bedroom community for nearby, larger cities.
The new chamber leader should not be selected because he or she has the best smile, the friendliest manner, the best handshake or seems open to the most fervent special interest groups at the public gatherings.
Lawrence needs a smart, experienced, well educated chamber executive, but he or she also needs a board of directors with some backbone, vision and respect in the community, not just a group of “yes men” and “yes women.”
This is not time for a popularity contest. Lawrence cannot afford not to have a strong chamber of commerce if the city is to be competitive in the coming years. It already has drifted with the tide far too long.
Lawrence used to be known for having one of the state’s finest chambers of commerce. It needs to get back to that well-deserved position and it can’t be done with a wishy-washy chamber of commerce president who tries to be all things to all people.
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20 May 2008 at 11:55 a.m.
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LogicMan (Anonymous) says…
Maybe it should be me! I just heard back from Wendy's about opening another store here in the old UNOs. They'll look into it.
Is that used car dealership, in the new building to the north of UNOs, gone? No cars there.
20 May 2008 at 12:22 p.m.
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JohnBrown (Anonymous) says…
Ah for the good ole days of Gary Toebben. No need to worry about whether the Chamber was busy recruiting new city commission candidates (he always was). No need to worry about funds for the next election, he had donors lined up. No need to worry about getting “consensus” when he would ram-rod things through. No worry about who would serve on the (so-called) Planning Commission. After 18 years as the Chamber's leader he had a list, and knew where all the buttons were that needed to be pushed.
Gary labeled people who thought there was a better way to grow as “no-growthers”, and when his kind of growth (bedroom community) failed to produce the revenues needed it was he who thought up the city-wide sales tax to make up for it.
Let's get back to the good ole days.
20 May 2008 at 12:59 p.m.
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BigPrune (Anonymous) says…
The good ole days didn't have Lawrence in the red. As for the sales tax increases supported by the Chamber, weren't those advocated AFTER Toebben left? - you know, when the Chamber started their failed policy to embrace the old nuts, kooks, and weirdos of our community?
Take us back to the good ole days, when armored personnel carries rolled through town to protect the businesses from the youthful nuts, kooks, and weirdos of our community.
Why embrace them? -They just changed their tactics in their old age. Kick them to the curb and get someone who'll look after small business.
20 May 2008 at 1:56 p.m.
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hawkperchedatriverfront (Anonymous) says…
A new Chamber Director and CEO needs to be his/her own person and not play tiddly winks with the likes of the KU profs who want to exert their expertise. The chamber board needs to tell any prospective interviewee the following: Hi , we are the board members and we do NOT know what we are doing, what we have done, or what should be done” Then hire the person and leave them alone. DO NOT play into the likes of KU and it's staff or the business community in Lawrence who wants to feed from the chamber. The business community should be supplying sustenance!
20 May 2008 at 4:48 p.m.
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GIHAWK (Anonymous) says…
Why is the turnover so high for this position? Does a strong PC following chase them away?
22 May 2008 at 8:14 p.m.
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toe (Anonymous) says…
This position is not that important. The chamber is a private business supporting business.