There’s nobody occupying the director’s chair at the Oxford Chamber of Commerce office right now, but that doesn’t mean it’s closed. Far from it.
Chamber President Debbie Uren reported various people are manning the office, located inside the village municipal complex on W. Burdick St., until a replacement can be found for former Director Nicole Alexander, whose last day was May 15.
‘The last thing we want is to have our office closed. We definitely want to be there for the community,? she said. ‘We want to make sure the phone is being manned, e-mails are being managed and our weekly e-mail blast goes out. We just want to stay connected. We’re not falling apart.?
The chamber is now looking for someone to fill the part-time director position, which involves working up to 29 hours per week.
This includes manning the office for 20 hours (Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and spending the other nine hours in the field visiting businesses, promoting the community and attending chamber functions such as mixers and events like ribbon-cuttings, according to Uren.
‘It would be great if we were able to have this position filled by June. That’s what we’re striving for,? she said. ‘We just hope we get some good applicants.?
Uren explained the chamber is seeking applicants who have office experience, know how to use QuickBooks accounting software, enjoy talking to people and have the communication skills and enthusiasm necessary to represent businesses and the community.
‘We’re here to promote,? she said.
Uren praised Alexander for being ‘open and honest? about her plans to further her education and decision to step down because it wouldn’t be compatible with the demands of the director position.
‘She explained it and we understood,? she said. ‘She’s been great. She’s put a lot of effort into making everything run smoothly.?