By RAELYNN RICARTE
News staff writer
September 19, 2007

The Hood River County Chamber of Commerce will soon invite applicants from across the Northwest to vie for the position of executive director.

Chamber Board member Mary Gumm of Embarq is chairing the chamber’s eight-member Executive Search Committee. She said job criteria for the vacancy is now being finalized and should be posted by Oct. 1.

“I would say that administration and event management will probably be two key elements that we look for in a candidate,” she said.

On Aug. 7, Craig Schmidt resigned after 12 years as director. He stated that “personal reasons” were behind his decision to step down immediately from oversight of the nonprofit organization. He could not be reached for comment about his unexpected departure on the same day that his letter of resignation was tendered.

Gumm said a recruitment strategy is also being developed to attract highly qualified applicants. She said the open job will likely be advertised in trade magazines from Canada to Idaho. The vacancy will also be announced on the local chamber’s Web site, www.hoodriver.org.

Ray Felton, president of the Chamber board of directors, temporarily assumed Schmidt’s administrative responsibilities. Staff officers Melanie Gillette and Genevieve Scholl-Erdmann took over managerial duties.

Felton turned the director search over to the special committee to concentrate on one of the chamber’s biggest annual events. He is working on Harvest Fest, which takes place Oct. 19-21 at the Expo Center in Hood River and the fairgrounds in Odell.