Chamber of commerce in search of new director
After two years of serving Franklin County as the Chamber of Commerce Director, Nina McNatt will be leaving her position next week to take a position at Russellville High School, which McNatt said was a bittersweet decision since she has truly enjoyed her time serving the county.
“Over these two years, I have gotten to know people that I might not have met otherwise and I will cherish those friendships and will always be a strong supporter of the chamber,” McNatt said.
“Being in this position helped me learn so many things that I will take with me for the rest of my life.”
McNatt said she gained a deeper understanding of the people and places in Franklin County through her position as the chamber director and she said it would be a great job for anyone who has a love for where they live.
“I always felt like I was a good citizen and that I was knowledgeable about the things of Franklin County, but when I took this job, I realized I had only scratched the surface of what there is to know and learn from here,” she said.
“I realized I had really limited myself to my own community and for the county to really function the way it should, it’s important to branch out and become more unified.
“I’m excited about being a part of the school system and I will take these important lessons I’ve learned about unity and working together and apply them to my new job and to other aspects of my life.”
McNatt’s resignation leaves a vacancy that Chamber Board President Mike Vaughn hopes to fill with someone who will be as enthusiastic about the job as McNatt was.
“We as a board truly appreciate the time and effort Nina put into the chamber and the great job she has done over the past two years,” Vaughn said.
“She has represented the chamber well and we wish her well in her new position at Russellville High School.”
Vaughn said the person who fills McNatt’s shoes as the chamber director would need to possess excellent leadership and communication skills, be self-motivated, be able to work under the direction of a volunteer elected board and have a love for Franklin County.
“We perceive the chamber of commerce to be a thread that takes cities, towns, county leadership, retail business, industry and the general public and pulls all these elements together to make the county and even better place that functions together in a sense of unity,” Vaughn said.
“We know what great resources we have here and what wonderful opportunities are available to our residents and we need a director who can showcase all these great attributes to other people both inside the county and outside the county.”
Vaughn said other qualifications required for the position include holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or equivalent experience and the applicant must be a Franklin County resident or be wiling to move.
The salary will be commensurate with the level of experience.
Anyone interested in applying for the position should mail his or her resume to P.O. Box 44, Russellville, AL 35653 on or before Feb. 18, 2012.
