The board of directors of the Adirondack Regional Chamber of Commerce (ARCC) announced that President and CEO Peter L. Aust has tendered his resignation from the Chamber after five years of service to pursue new career opportunities.
The board will launch a nationwide search for Aust’s successor.
Robert Davey, regional vice president at TD Bank, will serve as volunteer chairman of the search committee.
In the interim, board Chairman Thomas G. Albrecht Sr., president and CEO of Hilltop Construction Co., will oversee the day-to-day operations of the Chamber, working closely with the ARCC staff and the board’s Executive Committee, the Chamber said in a new release.
Aust was named president and CEO of the ARCC in December 2010 after nearly 10 years in that capacity with The Chamber of Southern Saratoga County. He also served as vice president of membership development for the ARCC earlier in his career.
“Peter’s love for the Adirondack region and his commitment to the growth and vitality of our business community were evident in every endeavor he undertook at the ARCC,” Albrecht said. “We thank him for his dedication to the chamber and our members, and wish him the very best in the next chapter of his career.”
Said Aust, “The ARCC is my hometown chamber and I’m thrilled to have played a role in its proud history, particularly leading the celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2014. At this point I have accomplished much of what I set out to do when I took the job five years ago, and I’m ready for some new challenges.
“The Chamber will always be close to my heart, and I look forward to watching the organization continue to grow and evolve and make our region a great place to live, work and play for generations to come.”
In addition to the 100th anniversary celebration and a proposed Legacy Project to establish a new “pocket park” in Downtown Glens Falls, Aust’s noteworthy achievements as ARCC leader include establishment of the Adirondack Craft Beverage Trail, creation of the Adirondack Nonprofit Business Council, Adirondack Health & Wellness Council, and successful collaborative efforts with the Adirondack Civic Center Coalition to privatize the management of the Glens Falls Civic Center, and with the Lake George Association and the Fund for Lake George to combat invasive species and other threats to the lake.
Aust was also responsible for enhancing Leadership Adirondack, the highly respected program designed to build our future community leaders.
ARCC serves more than 1,000 members, predominantly in Warren, Washington and northern Saratoga counties. It is a leading advocate for regional businesses on a wide range of public policy issues and provides its members with a wide variety of business education, development and networking programs.