Oak Ridge Chamber selects new president/CEO

The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has selected Christine Michaels as the new president and chief executive officer of the organization.

Michaels replaces Parker Hardy, who retired this summer after a 24-year career at the Chamber.

As president/CEO, Michaels will be responsible for advancing the business interests in the community and serving the membership in the areas of leadership growth, residential growth, advocacy, economic growth, and community alignment, a press release said.

Michaels comes to the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce from within the chamber of commerce industry as president and CEO of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber in Fayetteville, North Carolina. While at the 700-member Greater Fayetteville Chamber, Michaels introduced new entrepreneurship opportunities for exiting military personnel and served on several task forces for city development, including as a member of the Metropolitan Planning Organization advisory committee. During her tenure, she increased member retention by 15 percent, supervised a staff of five employees, and managed a $700,000 budget.

Prior to her time at the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, Michaels served as the top staff executive at the Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce in Florida, Melbourne Regional Chamber of East Central Florida, Alexandria Chamber of Commerce in Virginia, Harrisonburg Chamber of Commerce in Virginia, and Montgomery Chamber of Commerce in New York.

“Christine has worked in the chamber industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience in leading chambers of various sizes, backgrounds, and needs,” said John Garrity, chair of the ORCC Board of Directors. “Her background, wealth of knowledge, and proven track record make her a great fit for the Oak Ridge Chamber and the Oak Ridge business community.”

Michaels has a bachelor’s degree from Empire State College and is a graduate of the Institute for Organization Management, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s professional development program. She is currently completing the Certified Economic Developers (CEcDs) certificate program, the leading industry designation of the International Economic Development Council. CEcDs are recognized for their excellence in the economic development field.