The Rick Pearce file
Age: 50
Family: Wife, Saundra, and two children, Ricky, 20, and Allison, 18
Current job: Director of operations with Omnicom in Middletown
Next job: President and CEO of the Chamber Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton
Education: 1981 graduate of Middletown High School, 1989 graduate of Miami University
Rick Pearce has been hired as the new president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Serving Middletown, Monroe and Trenton, the chamber’s board of directors announced Thursday.
Pearce, a 1981 Middletown High School graduate and a 1989 Miami University graduate, will succeed Dick Slagle who had been leading the 500-member organization in an interim role since February. Pearce, 50, had applied for a job with the chamber about a decade ago, but didn’t get it.
“I’ve always been interested in that type of work,” said Pearce, who had also worked for Middfest in the early to mid-1990s. “I enjoy meeting new people, I enjoy problem-solving, brain-storming new ideas, and it seemed to be a match of what I’ve done and kind of the skills that I have.”
Pearce will leave his position as director of operations at Omnicom Solutions Group, a business solutions training company on Central Avenue, in June to join the chamber.
Stuart Robinson, the chair of the chamber board of directors, said the board is “very excited” to bring Pearce into the fold.
“He brings a unique knowledge of the area, business community, and skill set to the position, and we look forward to his involvement,” he said. “The Monroe, Trenton and Middletown area along with our neighbors of Franklin and Lebanon are going to grow and prosper. One of our most important responsibilities is to manage that growth to maximize and emphasize quality growth for the long-term economic health of our area.”
While he has no opinion on how the chamber has been led “because I haven’t been in the job to know all the details,” Pearce said he will seek out input from the members.
“The first thing I want to do is to meet the members and listen to their concerns, and what they want the chamber to be and what they’d like the chamber to do,” Pearce said. “And then work with the board to get to where the membership wants it to go.”
Pearce has been involved in the city for years. He was a member of the 1999 Chamber Leadership class and has chaired many community events with his wife, Saundra, including the United Way campaign and the third triennial Atrium Foundation Gala, which will take place Saturday.
He said above all else, he will continue to be a champion for the business community and the region.
“I think all chambers are shown in a positive light because they are the single voice for the business community, but then I think there are different paths that each chamber takes,” Pearce said. “I’m committed to the area and I’m committed to the community to want to see everything around us be successful.”
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