The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce has wrapped up its search for a new leader, naming Natalie English on Monday to serve as president and CEO.
 
English will take the place of interim president Dick Blouse effective March 6.
 
“In our search, we asked ourselves what type of person we are looking for,” chamber board chairman Charlie Mattox said Monday morning. “We needed a collaborator, someone with great vision and passion for the community.”

The post became open last year when Connie Majure-Rhett announced she would retire after working at the Wilmington chamber for 22 years.
 
English currently serves as chief public policy officer for the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, where she manages the chamber’s efforts to affect policy relating to business issues at all levels of government, officials said.
 
“Natalie’s 30 years of experience monitoring legislative and regulatory issues is a perfect fit to lead and enhance our advocacy efforts regionally, statewide, and even at the federal level,” Mattox said in a news release. “She has a strong track record of success and has been responsible for building community support for several investments in infrastructure that have been key to Charlotte’s economic development. Her leadership experience and background in affecting policies that impact the cost and ease of doing business, quality of life and workforce will help take the Wilmington business community and our Chamber to new heights.”

“I can’t even put words to it, the kind of passion in this community and this organization,” English said at Monday’s announcement at the chamber. “I look forward to leading you in partnership with our education institutions, with our elected officials, with government staff and other organizations that we need to make great things happen in Wilmington. This community has so much potential and is already so vibrant, I couldn’t imagine a better place to spend the next part of my life.”
 
Her role as the Charlotte chamber’s chief public policy officer included managing campaigns for community referenda, which helped lead to the passage of more than $5 billion in infrastructure investments since 2006, the release stated.

In 2010, the National Association of Women Business Owners – Charlotte Chapter awarded English with its Community Service Award. In 2008, she was awarded the prestigious Marshall Memorial Fellowship and completed a 25-day trip to Europe to learn about and advance trans-Atlantic relations. She was named as a 2008 Women in Business Achievement Award Winner by the Charlotte Business, Journal and in 2009 and 2013 the Mecklenburg Times named English one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Charlotte.
 
“I am thrilled for the opportunity to lead the chamber staff and volunteers,” English said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know the people behind the businesses that have made Wilmington so successful.”