After nationwide search, chamber announces new president, CEO

“The Chamber board, President’s Circle and the search committee are excited to bring Margy to Hardin County and introduce her to our outstanding community,” Kerr said in a chamber news release. “Hardin County is fortunate to have connected with someone of Margy’s caliber to lead this organization. Her vision and expertise for advancing economic development and advocating for pro-business policies and initiatives is just what our chamber needs as we continue to build on the great foundation already in place.”

Poorman, 55, of North Canton, Ohio, is the second president and CEO of the chamber since the merger of the county’s different chamber entities about a decade ago.

Poorman called the role a “fantastic opportunity.”

“I have much work to do, but I must assure you that I am up to the challenge,” she said.

Turning down a job in another community two weeks prior to accepting the position, Poorman said Hardin County also was the right fit for her and her family.

“The position, I felt, was a good utilization of my skill set, both from the advocacy and especially the economic development component,” she said in an interview following the ceremony, adding that the size of the community and proximity to family in Ohio also played a role in the decision. “Then we got down here and starting meeting the people and it just became evident that this was going to be the right choice for us, if offered the position. So, we’re thankful I was actually offered the position.”

The search included 350 applicants from across the nation, that was narrowed down to 10 to 12 for virtual interviews and four candidates stood out as “phenomenal,” Kerr said.

The search committee consisted of a wide-array of people from across the county, Kerr said.

“Something that was important to us was making sure that we had a diverse group of people, that we had people that represented all parts of Hardin County, not just one section of Hardin County, and we were able to do that,” Kerr said of the search committee that included former Elizabethtown Police Chief Tracy Schiller, local businessman and Chamber President Circle member Carl Swope, Vine Grove City Councilwoman Selena Hudson, Knox Regional Development Alliance Vice President Beth Avey, chamber ambassadors and its young professionals.

Kerr said the chamber was looking for someone with experience in economic development and public policy advocacy.

Poorman possessed those qualities and also brought a regional leadership element that Kerr said would help grow the chamber’s mission.

“She’s worked regionally to bring these things together and that’s what we need in Hardin County,” he said. “For us to grow and prosper the way we need to, we need regional thinking.”

According to the release, Poorman has 19 years of experience in development, policy, legislative affairs and also has worked in engaging government, business and nonprofit entities. Most recently, she served as a public policy and legislative coordinator for AultCare, a health care insurance provider in Northeast Ohio.

Prior to her time with AultCare, Poorman served as director of economic community development and planning for the city of Canton. In this position, she reported directly to the mayor and managed a $5 million budget, the release said.

“In years past, we would advocate for economic development incentives with our state house,” she said in the interview, adding some issues included “enterprise tax abatement, expanding that, making sure the sunshine didn’t set on a particular incentive or other loan programs that were available.”

During the ceremony, Poorman made a promise to advocate for this community at the local to federal level while working with trade groups, nonprofits and other organizations for a larger, more unified voice.

Poorman begins in her position June 1 and said she wants to spend the first few weeks introducing herself to community and chamber members and listening to their views of how to move the chamber forward.

She then plans on “setting a vision that prioritizes advocacy across our chamber.”

“What I ask you now, join me in making sure that Hardin County continues to be a community that businesses value and look to invest in,” she said during the ceremony.

Poorman succeeds Brad Richardson, who retired March 31.

She gave a nod to her predecessor, who she said she met, as a leader who left a “wonderful legacy of lasting growth and development in Hardin County, the Fort Knox region and the commonwealth.”

Poorman will move to Hardin County in the coming weeks with her husband, Dave, daughter, Katie, 18, and cat, Charlie.

“Everyone here in this county can be an advocate for the business community,” she said in the interview. “I think we just need to have our voices get a little louder so we can make something really happen. They’ve been really successful in the past and I hope to continue that in the future.”

Source: Google News

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