The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce thought it had made a good pick when the hired Natalie Blais as its executive director a little over a year ago.
It did so well that Blais appears to be leaving for Beacon Hill where she plans to promote the region’s interests as a state representative. So now the chamber is planning its search for her replacement.
The Sunderland woman, who worked as a congressional aide to U.S Rep. Jim McGovern, and before that, to U.S. Rep. John Olver, won a seven-way Democratic primary contest Sept. 4 – almost exactly a year after taking over the Chamber post from 32-year veteran head Ann Hamilton of Greenfield – to assume the 1st Franklin House District seat in January.
Since there are no Republican candidates for the position being vacated by 25-year incumbent Rep. Stephen Kulik of Worthington, it appears “a sure thing” that Blais will be elected on Nov. 6, in the words of Chamber board President Mark Abramson.
Chamber directors formed a search committee Wednesday that means to meet Monday with the chamber’s Strategic Planning Committee, which was formed before Hamilton’s departure to reposition the 100-year-old organization.
That meeting, said Abramson, “will give a clear sense of the chamber’s direction for the search committee to use in finding a new executive director.
“We’re getting our ducks in order,” he said. But given the fact that Blais hasn’t been formally elected and hasn’t yet submitted her resignation, “We’re kind of being pro-active, so come November we’re not scurrying around then,” he said. Blais, who encouraged the process to go forward and was named to the search committee of about a half-dozen members.
Notices of the job being available are starting to be circulated, he said, “and we certainly won’t commit until after the election, but it’s going to take that long to get applications in, review, interview and that kind of stuff.”
Blais said the process so far “feels good. It goes to show you how incredibly supportive this board is and how lucky I am to have them to work with.”
Over the past year, as she’s tried to expand the chamber’s membership of roughly 500, Blais said, “There’s been a significant shift, a lot of energy and a great deal of momentum not only in how we support local businesses, but also as a local tourism council.”
Abramson said the strategic planning committee issued an initial review, a job Blais began to tweak but hasn’t been able to complete. That will now fall her successor.
The last search process attracted 10 to 15 applicants, which was narrowed to seven finalists, said Abramson.
“I’m hoping a lot those people reapply, because there were some really good candidates,” he said. “And we picked who we thought was the best. Unfortunately, the populace agrees with us and wants to put her in the Legislature. We have mixed emotions, but we certainly wish her well.”
Even though Blais is moving on, he added, “We do believe she’s going to be a great advocate for Franklin County.