Black named interim president for Benton Chamber

Benton, AR (November 12, 2007) –

Eddie Black will serve as interim executive director until a new one is chosen for the Benton Area Chamber of Commerce.
“He’s everything we were looking for,” Matt Brumley, chamber president, said.

“We were looking for someone established and well-respected in the community. He’s a very smart business man and educated in economic development.”

Black, who is retired from Almatis, formerly Alcoa, is chairman of the Saline County Economic Development Corp.
“We also feel he will be key in the selection process and a huge asset in selecting a permanent director,” Brumley said.
Black, a second-year chamber board member, said Friday serving as interim director “is a good opportunity to help the chamber look at its successes in the past and develop a vision for the future.”

Brumley noted Black has “a tremendous amount of managerial experience.” He said the chamber looks forward to Black discovering ways the organization can be more efficient. “We’re looking at making the chamber more efficient from A to Z,” Brumley said.

The only way for Benton and other municipalities to succeed is for all to work together, Black said. “We’ve made a lot of progress and have positive things going on.”

A major plus that’s come out of the Saline County economic group is responding efficiently to potential developments. “We now have the structure and are able to field all inquiries and respond quickly,” he said.

Black couldn’t reveal the company, but he said the community seriously is being considered for a company to locate. “We’re in the final for at least one major business looking to come in.”

Black, who has a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Arkansas, retired last year after 31 years with Alcoa. He said he had many different assignments, noting his three-plus years spent in Jamaica. Black was plant manager when Alcoa became Almatis. He then became director of operations for the company’s North American facilities.

“I was very fortunate to have a variety of assignments with Alcoa, and I hope that will help as we sit down to build on the things the chamber has already built,” he said.

Black and his wife enjoy traveling and recently returned from a trip with friends from Italy. They have one daughter, Kathryn Allen, who is a four-year pharmacy student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Science in Little Rock. Black also serves as a board member of Saline Memorial Hospital.

The chamber is in search of a new director following Mark Gillis’ resignation. Gillis worked for the chamber for 12 years.
Brumley said a selection committee has been formed comprised of a “diverse cross-section of the community, including the municipal level, small business, large business and the executive board of the chamber.”

A survey will be posted soon on the chamber Web site for members to complete. They will be asked what they look for in a chamber and director. “The results will be taken into consideration when choosing a new director,” Brumley said.

He said resumes have been submitted but not too much can be done with them until the selection committee takes care of some details such as establishing a job description for the position.
November 12, 2007

Article published in the Benton Courier, November 12, 2007.