News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce Director of Events Alisha Bouchard works at her desk on Wednesday. The chamber is in the process of reviewing its operations, goals, and mission to better serve its members. The chamber is also seeking to hire a new president.

ALPENA — A familiar face is helping to chart a new course for the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce after Chamber President and CEO Adam Poll resigned earlier this month.

Jackie Krawczak, the former president and CEO, has been hired as a consultant to map out an updated direction for the chamber to ensure it offers the best services possible to its members.

Krawczak, who worked for the chamber from 2007 until 2020, said she will also assist in the hiring process to find a qualified candidate to replace Poll.

Poll was hired in March of 2020 to replace Krawczak after she left for another employment opportunity.

As far as stepping back into her former role full-time, Krawczak said that is not in the cards. But, she added, she is excited to help the chamber and help establish a plan for the future, however she can.

“I’m helping them get on a forward and positive track and coaching them the best way to do that,” Krawczak said. “I’m just helping them to see the potential of the chamber and present some paths to how to get where they want to go and how it will offer the utmost value for its members.”

In an email update to its members on Tuesday, the chamber said it has received a lot of questions from its members about the transition and potential changes to the chamber. The update says consistent updates will be provided and that chamber board members and staff have met with Konczak, and together they are developing a plan of action.

A special meeting is slated for early June where the chamber’s budget, vision, reinvigoration of government relations work, and other topics will be discussed.

Krawczak said the chamber is currently operating as normal, and planned chamber events will continue as planned. She said there is no timeline for hiring a new president/CEO, and the entire process is in the early planning stages, but longtime chamber employee Alisha Bouchard, director of events, is holding down the fort during the transition.

“There isn’t going to be any disruption,” Krawczak said. “Alisha does a great job and is keeping things up and going. That will continue.”

When asked a second time if she had any interest in returning to the chamber in her former role, Krawczak made it clear that she is happy with her new business venture, but wants to be a part of revitalizing the chamber.

“I’m just here to lend a hand,” she said.

A chamber of commerce is a 501(c)6 private business organization that works to promote business in the area it represents. It is funded with revenue generated by membership dues and other non-dues revenue.

There are currently 459 members of the chamber, which is down from nearly 600 members under Krawczak’s leadership.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@TheAlpenaNews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.