McKinney Chamber approves search committee for new president

From staff reports
Created at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009

The McKinney Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors voted on Dec. 30, 2008, to approve an executive search committee to facilitate the process of identifying a new Chamber president.

The executive search committee represents a cross section of the Chamber membership with representatives from each Chamber committee and program. The committee is accepting input from the community and will work with a national search firm to develop a Chamber president profile. The search firm will help the committee locate qualified candidates.

Whomever the committee and Chamber Board of Directors selects for the position will replace former Chamber President Terri Ricketts, who was either let go from her position or resigned from her position the week of Thanksgiving after she left the Chamber.

The executive search committees includes: Chamber Chairman Keith Clifton, who will be the chairman of the committee; Bill Campbell; City Manager Frank Ragan; McKinney ISD Superintendent Tom Crowe; Heidi Zuber; Pam Best; Payton Brooks; Chamber Young Professional Committee President Abby Javernick; LaSharndra Barbarin; Roger Harris; Bill Dowdy; Sherry Tucker-David; McKinney ISD Board of Trustee member Wade Johnson; City Council members at-large Pete Huff and Bill Cox; Interim Chamber President Terrie Keith; Andy Hardin, and publisher of the Chamber's publication McKinney Living.

“There is no time table,” said Past Chamber Chairman and City Council member for District 4 Ray Ricchi. “We want to take our time and craft an outline of what we want in the next Chamber president, and what qualities will best serve our organization and community. The Chamber is poised for positive growth. We have more than 1,200 members and represent more than 39,000 employees," Ricchi said.

Ricchi also said that the Chamber Board of Directrs will give the McKinney Economic Development Corporation a final letter around Jan. 15 that will state whether the Chamber's political action committee, the Committee to Inform Voters and Business on Issues and Candidates (CIVBIC) will endorse candidates in the Jan. 17 and May city council and McKinney ISD Board of Trustees election in May.

The MEDC's Board of Directors voted in October, 2008 to send a letter to the Chamber Board of Directors that states the MEDC would no longer financially support the Chamber or the Business Retention and Expansion Program, which is jointly funded by the Chamber and the MEDC, if the Chamber PAC endorses candidates in upcoming city and school board elections. The MEDC Board of Directors is comprised of President Stan McWilliams' former council at-large candidate Marta Gore, who did not receive the endorsement from the CIVBIC prior to the May council election; BJ Rone; Laurie Clegg; and Scott Lewis.

The MEDC Board will discuss the Chamber's letter and decision on whether or not to endorse candidates at its meeting later this month, said MEDC President and Chief Executive Officer David Pitstick.

For more information about the Chamber and the selection process for the next Chamber president, call the Chamber at 972-542-0163 or send an e-mail info@mckinneytx.org.