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Bonnie Lowe

Story updated at 6:55 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3, 2018:

A familiar face will soon take over the leadership of the Lawrence chamber of commerce.

Bonnie Lowe, who currently serves as the organization’s chief operations officer, will serve as the organization’s next president and CEO, the chamber announced in a news release Monday morning.

Lowe will replace current president and CEO Larry McElwain. McElwain announced in May that he intended to retire in January.

She told the Journal-World that a timeline for her to take over the position has not yet been determined, but she plans to conduct a listening tour to learn more about the local business community when she takes over the position.

“I also ask for people to reach out to me if they don’t hear from me first, because I’m very interested in the business community and of our citizens,” Lowe said.

The chamber began advertising the position in late September, planning to hire a new leader prior to the new year.

Michele Hammann, chair of the organization’s board of directors, said a search to find McElwain’s replacement attracted many candidates.

“We had a large number of candidates to choose from, but Bonnie is the right choice for The Chamber,” Hammann said in the news release. “She knows and loves Lawrence, understands the community, enjoys great relationships with our partners, and will be able to take The Chamber to the next level with her vision and leadership.”

Lowe will also need to find a replacement for her position as the COO, which runs the day-to-day operations of the organization. She said the organization may restructure the position before making a hire, though.

She plans to meet with the organization’s staff members to talk to them about their roles and responsibilities, which could help define how the COO role looks in the future.

“We want to make what’s the best decision for the chamber, so I don’t know if it will be the exact position I have now,” she said.

Lowe, who has served as COO since 2013, previously served a four-year term on the Lawrence City Commission, with one year as mayor. She was also the chair of the chamber’s board of directors in 2009. She currently sits on boards for the Bioscience & Technology Business Center, the Kansas Health Insurance Association and is secretary for the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Kansas. She has also previously served as a senior investigator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Topeka and as a community bank president in Lawrence.

Lowe has a bachelor’s degree in finance from Fort Hays State University and is completing her certificate from the Institute of Organizational Management, a nonprofit professional development program for chamber professionals, according to the news release.

“I am honored for the opportunity to lead The Chamber that I’ve been supportive of for many years,” Lowe said in the news release. “We have an outstanding staff, and I look forward to hearing from members with their thoughts on how we can continue to improve.”