Chamber nominating committee makes 7 board recommendations

A Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce nominating committee selected seven businesspeople for appointments to the organization’s board of directors.

If approved, the selected executives would serve three-year terms starting Jan. 1. Chamber Vice President of Strategic Communications Jennifer McClure said the nominating committee recommendations are the first step in the process of determining the chamber’s new 2017-18 board members. Chamber members have until noon Oct. 16 to make their own nominations. The committee’s selections will be declared elected if no other petitions are received. Last year, all of the nominating committee’s selections received the nod for three-year terms.

The nominating committee’s picks this year are:
    •    Logan Aguirre, president and associate publisher of 417 Magazine;
    •    Rita Baron, owner of Baron Design & Associates LLC;
    •    Paula Dougherty, a private wealth adviser with Achieve Private Wealth, Ameriprise Financial Services Inc.;
    •    Brad Erwin, owner of Paragon Architecture;
    •    Audrey Garard, co-owner of Grooms Office Environments;
    •    Mike Haynes, regional director of external affairs for AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T); and
    •    Kevin Williams, chief financial officer for Jack Henry & Associates Inc. (Nasdaq: JKHY).

Erwin and Williams would be returning members of the board. Exiting the board at the end of the year are Amy Austin of City Utilities, Tim Edwards of Kraft Heinz Co., Debbie Shantz Hart of Housing Plus LLC, John Horton of Layer 3 Technology, Krystal Russell of Payroll Vault, Denise Silvey of Paul Mueller Co. and Jennifer Wilson of nForm Architecture LLC, said chamber spokesman Jeremy Elwood.

Chamber Chairman-elect Doug Neff of Commerce Bank also will appoint five one-year board members later this fall, Elwood said.

The chamber Board of Directors comprises 31 members, including eight officers, according to its website.