FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2008
Contact Information:
John Bowling
Dalton-Whitfield Chamber of Commerce
706-278-7373
Tim Chason
The Chason Group, Inc.
404-735-0540

Dalton-Whitfield Chamber Laying Foundation for President and CEO Search

The leadership of the Dalton-Whitfield Chamber of Commerce is taking decisive steps to identify candidates and select the next president for the region’s largest business organization. The search process will move into full swing this month.

“The president of the chamber is often times the first face, voice and vision of our community,” according to Bill Jourdain, chairman of the chamber and a partner with Minor, Bell & Neal. “The executive board feels it is extremely important that we take methodical steps to identify the professional and personal skill sets needed of this person in order to move the organization to a new level of service for the membership and community.”

John Bowling, president of Hamilton Medical Center, has been named chair of the search committee.

“The Dalton-Whitfield Chamber has a strong foundation in this area, dating back to its incorporation in 1940,” says Bowling. “Our decision regarding a new leader for the organization will be a very inclusive process. Input from the membership, as well as that of other community stakeholders, will play an important role in the skill sets we will look for in candidates. We will also be working with the current professional staff of the chamber to hear their thoughts and visions.”

The early responsibilities of the search committee will be two-fold. “First, we must identify the experience and character traits that are important to the position,” Bowling says. “From there, we will identify candidates who possess those skill sets and begin the interview process.”


The chamber’s focus is in three core areas. Leadership development, community development and economic development are the building blocks for all programs and initiatives of the 900 member organization. The organization is recognized as one of the strongest voices for business in the region.

The search committee will conduct an online survey of its membership in June. Input from current business, government and community leaders is a vital component of the search, according to Jourdain. Questions will include identifying priorities for the new executive as well as what needs and visions existing businesses might have for the future.

One-on-one stakeholder interviews with key elected and appointed leaders will occur during the next month as well. The stakeholders will include local leaders and statewide economic development representatives.

A position description will be developed for the president based on the interviews and feedback from the membership and professional staff. A weighting scale for the candidates will be formulated from the feedback and used in determining how candidates match the needs of the community and position.

Personal contacts with potential candidates will be a significant part of the effort to solicit resumes. In addition, advertisements for the position will be placed with state and national organizations.

“Each candidate will be handled in a confidential and professional manner,” says Bowling. “This search process will be just as much about Dalton and Whitfield County selling our attributes to the candidates as it will be the candidates convincing the committee they are the right person for the position.”

Another part of the selection process will be an extensive application that focuses on past experiences of the candidates and philosophies on issues ranging from economic development to government relations. The application will assist the committee in narrowing the field of candidates.

Finding the right person for the chamber is more important than a timeline, Jourdain says. “The search process is expected to take 90 to 120 days. However, the timeline is not what will drive the committee. Identifying the right person to lead the organization is the driving factor.”

Other members of the search committee, in addition to Bowling and Jourdain, include Vance Bell, Shaw Industries; Tom Bundros, Dalton Utilities; Dan Combs, State Farm Insurance; David Gregg, Alliance National Bank; Lynn Laughter, R. Lynn Laughter, L.L.C.; Dick Lowrey, Councilman, City of Dalton; and Randy Waskul, Whitfield County Board of Commissioners.

The president’s position became available in March after the resignation of George Woodward. He led the chamber’s key initiatives since 1999 as president. Phyllis Stephens is serving as interim president.

The Chason Group, based in Cartersville, Georgia, is assisting the committee with the search. Tim Chason, president of the company, served for ten years as president of the Cartersville-Bartow County Chamber of Commerce and ten years as chief operating officer of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He has conducted successful executive level searches in several communities across the state including Cartersville-Bartow County, Cumming-Forsyth County, Jackson County, Thomaston-Upson County, and Tifton-Tift County.