Springboro chamber of commerce names new executive director

The Springboro Area Chamber of Commerce has selected the former site director of Fort Ancient Earthworks and Nature Preserve as its new executive director.

The chamber announced the appointment of Jack Blosser as its new executive director. He succeeds Alison Liddic who stepped down earlier this year. He will begin his new duties on June 3.

Blosser, who resides in Middletown, said he will transfer his ambitions and ambassadorship to Springboro as the chamber’s executive director. He said he wants “to enhance and continue to develop the city of Springboro Chamber’s mission to enhance and improve the local business environment and offer resources to support the business community. I look forward to being an excited team member who will work for you.”

As Fort Ancient’s site director for 32 years, Blosser became a motivational speaker, organizational leader and a storyteller during his tenure. He also developed contacts with the Warren County community and strived to create an energetic and inspiring culture for staff and stakeholders, as well as making Lebanon a destination.

“My passion has always involved civic engagement and building relationships within the community I served,” he said.

Blosser served on the YMCA Camp Kern Board of Advisors for 21 years, with time as a board member, chairman of its annual campaign for six years and board chair. He was also elected to be a trustee at large for the Ohio History Alliance, serving on the governance and advocacy committees for three years.

However, Blosser said the most enjoyable endeavor in his career was serving on the Ohio World Heritage Committee to nominate two prehistoric earthworks for World Heritage, the most prestigious nomination for cultural and natural history sites in the world.

Marsha Kelley, Springboro chamber board president and owner of Image Mark It, said that Blosser was selected from a field of more than 20 candidates for the position. The field was reduce to four candidates who were invited for a second interview.

“He has a ton of experience in the nonprofit world,” Kelley said. “He has been very involved with Camp Kern for many years. He fits in to our culture and he is a historian and were a historic town... I like his aura.”

She said the board was unanimous in selecting Blosser and everyone felt good about the choice. “We were very pleased,” Kelley said.

Bryan Hunter, Springboro chamber board vice president and president/founder of 937 Payroll LLC, agreed with Kelley and also noted Blosser’s strong nonprofit organization background.

Hunter told the Dayton Daily News that Liddic’s departure earlier this year came down to “strategic differences.”

“It came down to a difference of direction between the board and Alison,” he said. “She decided to resign.”

Liddic replaced former executive director Carol Hughes, who served the chamber for about 10 years. Hughes retired last year to focus on her role as Rotary’s District Governor for Southwest Ohio, spending more time with family, and traveling the nation in an RV.

The chamber was founded in 1975 as an advocate and a local network for Springboro businesses. Since 2011, the chamber grew from 350 businesses to more than 750 businesses. In terms of membership, Springboro has the third largest chamber in the Miami Valley region after Dayton and Springfield, officials said.

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