The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s board has hired an executive search firm to head up the hunt for its next top executive, officials announced Tuesday.
 
The group is using Waverly Partners LLC, a national executive search firm and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ preferred provider for such searches, according to a news release.
 
In May, longtime chamber president and CEO Connie Majure-Rhett announced she was retiring from her post of 22 years.
 
Dick Blouse took over as interim president and CEO this summer. Blouse, who has served as head of the Detroit Regional Chamber and Greenville (South Carolina) Chamber of Commerce, lives in Southport.
 
Chris Boney, immediate past chairman of the chamber board, will lead an eight-member search committee working with Waverly Partners to look for candidates, the release stated.
 
“Waverly Partners consultants met with our Committee, Chamber staff and a variety of community leaders and representatives. We have developed a profile with the experience and leadership characteristics of our preferred candidate,” Boney said, referring to a seven-page outline available online.
 
“Our committee is open to executives with backgrounds in chambers of commerce, business associations, economic development organizations, other kinds of nonprofits, private sector or related experience,” he added, “with a commitment to our mission of business advocacy in Wilmington and this region.”