By Patrick Donges
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wamc/local-wamc-966211.mp3
Pittsfield, MA – The board of 1Berkshire, the strategic partnership formed last year following the disbanding of the Berkshire County Economic Development Corporation, announced Thursday that Stuart Chase will take the helm as the group's full-time chief of operations.
The former executive director of Pittsfield's Berkshire Museum will replace interim volunteer CEO Paul Haklisch, whose role it was to initiate the four-month long nationwide search process.
"My objective, and my charge, was to take some of the concepts that had been put on paper and put them into practice. Stuart's immediate job will be to follow up with those situations and to build out the organization."
Chase said he will press forward with the organization's mission to create a "one stop shop" for anyone interested in the Berkshires.
"I've been very involved with 1Berkshire since its origins. Our first step is to get these organizations together in one place physically and to make sure that these organizations are working together as a team with all the respective activities that they've been doing all throughout their histories"
One key word for the future of the group is "blending," as in blending the talents and resources of each of 1Berkshire's membership organizations to ensure ease of access for those seeking information about the region.
Now that the group is incorporated with organized leadership, Chase said they will focus on bringing the subsidiary groups together.
"The next steps are to focus on a membership program that can serve all the members of all the various constituencies, and also a very important branding initiative."
Michael Supranowicz, president and CEO of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and 1Berkshire board member, said Chase is absolutely the best choice for the position.
"I think Stuart Chase makes a wonderful choice to lead 1Berkshire through its next stage. The next stage is a very important stage because it's really the stage where we begin to work."
Supranowicz said now that the organization has a board in place and designation as a not-for-profit they can focus on building a foundation for future development by applying for grants and working in a more cohesive manner, tasks he said Chase is well suited to accomplish.
"If you look at what he did at the museum in Pittsfield, from a standpoint of raising dollars, his management style. Everyone who has worked for him or has had contact with him just has nothing but good things to say about Stuart."
"I think that's the type of person who can bring 1Berkshire to where we want it to be."
Lauri Klefos, 1Berkshire board member and president and CEO of the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, agreed that Chase has both the professional and personal knowledge to lead the organization.
"I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled with Stuart being the choice. He's been a member of the Berkshire Visitors board since I've been here and is a huge supporter not just of tourism but of Berkshire County in general."
Klefos said the group's subsidiary organizations will now have the organizational consider the possibility of a single membership to 1Berkshire, and start researching a promotional strategy.
"We're looking at putting together a process to find someone to help us do some research to find out what this Berkshire brand is, so that before we market it we really make sure we're looking at all the data. So I think you'll start to see a lot more happening."