After a three-month search, the Albert Lea Chamber of Commerce has picked a new president.

Marge Hamersly, who has served as interim president during the search, is making the transition to full-time president.

&uot;As we proceded through the process I began getting requests from people throughout the community that I’d apply for the position,&uot; she said. So Hamersly decided to throw her hat in the ring.

Hamersly was formerly the director of the Freeborn County United Way, and brings experience working with the community.

&uot;She is highly respected, has such integrity and really knows everyone in the community,&uot; Randy Kehr, who was on the search committee, said. &uot;It was a relatively easy choice.&uot;

Kehr said that there were 35 applicants, but none matched Hamersly.

&uot;We had a lot of paperwork on people that looked good but on the interview process they didn’t look like what we wanted. In some cases, very far from what we wanted,&uot; he said.

Kehr said her relationship with the community was one of the key components.

&uot;She has a terrific relationship with nearly everyone; from government officials, to the school board to our own members. That was probably her biggest advantage,&uot; he said.

Hamersly says she hopes to accomplish a great deal with the chamber.

&uot;We have some very specific and long-range strategic goals that have been in development since before I took the position,&uot; she said. These goals include working with many community organizations, building a strong public relationship by making themselves more visible and working with the community and the legislature to create more opportunities for commerce.

Hamersly had taken the interim job as a temporary position in the beginning.

&uot;It takes a huge amount of drive and energy to be involved here, and though it is a wonderful position, I prefer the interim type,&uot; she said at the time.

The attitude has obviously changed. Hamersly said through the interim process she learned more about the job and enjoyed it more and more.

&uot;I’m very happy and excited about it,&uot; she said.

Hamersly brings a new motto with her new title. She hopes it will catch on with all community, government and county organizations: &uot;New horizons, new faces, new ideas for the future.&uot;