PARIS – Auburn resident and former City Councilor Rich Livingston has been selected as the new president and chief executive officer of the Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce.
Judy Green, chairman of the chamber board of directors, said the former title of chamber executive director has been changed to president and chief executive officer because of the broad range of duties that are part of the position.
She said Wednesday that she can’t wait for Livingston to start meeting members when he enters the new position May 3.
The chamber is looking to increase its membership and expand its presence in the community, Green said. “I think Rich is definitely the missing link that we were looking for.”
Livingston works as a strategic planning consultant in Auburn. He is past president of the Auburn Business Development Corp. and a member of the executive committees of the Lewiston-Auburn Economic Growth Council and the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments. He also has served on the Legislative Affairs Committee of the Maine Municipal Association and has been a member of the Service Center Communities steering committee.
In 1992, Livingston left a position as executive vice president and chief operating officer of a $25 million advertising agency in Washington to move his family to Maine. He created a consulting practice with Austin Associates, which was spun off as Livingston Consulting in 1997. Livingston has served as marketing director of the Maine Manufacturing Extension Partnership and has won numerous awards for his role as a consultant in the state’s construction industry.
Chamber interim Executive Director Bruce Cook said Wednesday he is “very impressed” with Livingston’s credentials. “May 3 can’t get here fast enough,” he joked. “I’m looking forward to getting out on the lake for the summer.”
Cook will continue to serve as treasurer of the chamber after Livingston’s arrival.
When reached in Auburn on Wednesday, Livingston said he is looking forward to working in the Oxford Hills region. He feels the area is poised for a period of dramatic growth and development.
His first order of business, he said, will be to interview existing and perspective chamber members to find out “what kind of additional services and support they’d like to see.”
A chamber’s responsibility is not only to the economic viability of a community, Livingston said, but also to support its member businesses.
After gaining an understanding of what businesses need from the chamber, Livingston said, he will “cobble together a strategic plan” to help the organization move forward.
Past Executive Director John Williams resigned Jan. 1 to focus on his multimedia company, Williams Broadcasting Inc.
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