By Kelly K. Shrock and Terry Pence—
Muncie, IN—On behalf of the Board of Directors, we share with you that Jay Julian has announced his intention to retire as President/CEO of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and as Chief Economic Development Officer of the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance effective April 1, 2022. We know that our organization will be losing a strong leader and advocate for the Muncie and Delaware County communities.
Terry Pence, Chair of the Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce said, “If you look at where we were in 2009 when Jay took on this role and where we are today, the advancements are clear.
That is the truest mark of the impact Jay has made. As a business community we are stronger and better positioned for tomorrow than we were when he took on this role.”
Kelly Shrock, Chair of the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance also commented, “Our community has been fortunate to have Jay Julian at the helm for twelve years. His leadership in economic development has brought much to improve the quality of life here. Our business community helps strengthen our community overall and we thank Jay for his tireless efforts.”
The Muncie-Delaware County Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Development Alliance are fortunate to have a strong and experienced internal team to ensure continuity and a positive transition. Our finances and membership are strong, our partnerships within the community are robust, and our staff is talented.
Recruiting a New President
The Board recognizes that our most important responsibility is to recruit and retain the next President/CEO, and wehave taken several important steps. First, we have appointed an eight-person Search Committee that reflects our diverse membership in both the Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development sectors. The committee is jointly chaired by Kelly Shrock and Terry Pence.
Also, the committee has retained Smith & Syberg Executive Search to work with the Search Committee and the Board.
Smith and Syberg is a Columbus, Indiana-based executive search firm serving clients in Indiana and throughout the United States. They have extensive experience in the recruitment of senior leadership for nonprofit organizations. The search will be conducted by Joe Smith and Keith Syberg. Over the past several weeks, Smith and Syberg has met with the Search Committee, Board members, staff members, and key stakeholders to gain their input prior to beginning the search process.
Smith and Syberg will serve as the point of contact for requests for information, candidate recommendations, and/or expressions of interest. Interviews with the Search Committee will be held in October and November with an anticipated start date in the first quarter of 2022. Confidential inquiries, referrals, and resumes should be directed to Keith Syberg via phone: (812) 372-7254 or email: kas@smithandsyberg.com.
We are excited about a new President/CEO helping to lead the next chapter of community and business development in Muncie and Delaware County.
Kelly K. Shrock, Search Committee Co-Chair President
The Community Foundation of Muncie & Delaware County, Inc.
Terry Pence, Search Committee Co-Chair Vice President of Operations
IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital
