Faces and Places

Jason Ball, CEcD, IOM, was named president of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (Neb.) and Lincoln Partnership for Economic Development. Ball, who succeeds Wendy Birdsall who retired after leading the organization for 16 years, was most recently president of the Round Rock Chamber of Commerce (Texas). He began his career in Lincoln in 2008 as the partnership’s director of business development before departing to lead the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce (Kan.) and later the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce (S.D.).

Tricia Ball was named president & CEO of the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce (W.Va.). She comes to the chamber from Marshall University, where she championed entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development efforts. She also has professional experience in corporate marketing and leadership development.

The Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce (Mich.) promoted Maggie Bobitz to be the organization’s new president. For many years, Bobitz held various positions within the chamber including ambassador, board member and board chair. In 2016 she joined the staff managing chamber events and programs, and then in 2017, she earned her most recent role as vice president.

Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce (N.C.) named Anya Davis president & CEO. She accepted the position after serving as the chamber’s membership director.

Partnership Lake Houston (Texas) named Lance LaCour president & CEO. LaCour, who was originally the partnership's president of economic development, will continue to serve in this capacity in his new role.

Milledgeville-Baldwin County Chamber of Commerce (Ga.) named Kara Lassiter president & CEO. She was previously the chamber’s membership director.

Mark Lawson was named president of the Cary Chamber of Commerce (N.C.). Lawson, who was previously the chamber’s president of economic development, succeeds Howard Johnson who retired after leading the organization for 36 years.

The Jefferson Chamber of Commerce (La.) named Ruth W. Lawson president. She was previously executive director of the Jefferson Parish Finance Authority.

The Otsego County Chamber of Commerce (N.Y.) named Sean R. Lewis president & CEO. Lewis recently ended a 23-year career in media sales, management and leadership, serving recently as publisher.

The Greater Watertown - North Country Chamber of Commerce (N.Y.) named Kayla Perry president & CEO. She was previously the chamber’s director of events.

The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce (Mo.) named Natalie Redmond president & CEO. Redmond, who was previously the chamber’s senior vice president, succeeds R. Patt Lilly who retired after leading the organization for 19 years.

Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer was named CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, succeeding Dirk Draper who retired. For the past two-and-a-half years, Kleymeyer was a management and leadership consultant after spending more than 20 years in economic development, corporate communications and government affairs in her native Tennessee and Ohio

The Richmond County Chamber of Commerce (N.C.) named former NASCAR spokesperson Kristi Richardson King president & CEO. For 26 years, she followed NASCAR all over the country and held several prestigious positions with the sanctioning body of racing. Until May 2020, she was NASCAR’s director of strategic media communications, where she served as communication liaison with Public Affairs, NASCAR Events Group, and NASCAR Foundation.

Christi Robinson has been named president & CEO-elect of The Chamber of Gadsden & Etowah County (Ala.). She will succeed Heather Brothers New, CCE, IOM, who recently announced she'll step down as president & CEO in June 2022. Robinson, an entrepreneur with a background in finance, was previously fraud specialist for the Alabama Teachers Credit Union.

Elizabeth Webster was named president & CEO of the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce (W.V.). Previously, she lived in Washington, D.C., where she was director of business outreach at the District of Columbia City Council for six years.

The Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce (W.V.) named Kurt Zende president. Zende, who was most recently an economic development specialist for the city of Wheeling, returns to the chamber where he had served as senior vice president from 1995-2000.