Pam Christie will take over on February 27 as President and CEO of the Harrison Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber board met Monday evening to make what was apparently an easy decision.

"We interviewed five candidates," said search committee chairman Jim Stockton. "They were all good, but Pam was head and shoulders above the rest."

Since 1998, Christie has led the Community Development Section of the Arkansas Department of Economic Development. She has directed the effort of 18 employees, helping communities across the state plan and execute development efforts.

"From our first contact with Pam, she was our leading candidate and number one choice," said Stockton. "She is an expert in the business of promoting and managing growth."

"Growth will be our biggest challenge and our biggest opportunity in the near future," added Craig Campbell, the Chamber board's president.

"Our current healthy rate of growth is sure to increase when the highway project is complete, and the scale of change will be something new to us. Pam has the knowledge, skills and experience to keep us ahead of the curve."

Christie will work closely with the Boone County Economic Development Commission (BCEDC), which will help pay her salary.

Christie said she is eager to get started.

"I'm glad Harrison thinks well of me, because I certainly think well of Harrison," said Christie Tuesday morning. "In my years with the state, I have worked with so many communities and Chamber boards, and I have never encountered one that impressed me more than the board I talked with in Harrison.

"I could tell they're really committed to the process, and to the community's development. I've had offers from other communities in the past, but this is what I was waiting for - someplace special."

Christie said there is no magic to community development.

"It requires having a vision and staying focused on it, building relationships and working hard," she said.

Christie already has two important connections with Harrison. Her younger son, Jacob was born at North Arkansas Medical Center 22 years ago, and her older son, Eric Blaty, was attached to a Harrison National Guard unit when he served in Iraq. She said Eric has friends in Harrison from that tour of duty.

Christie said both she and the community face challenges in the future.

"My first challenge will be to slow down a little. Since I got interested in this job, I've been coming up with ideas. I'm tempted to just start telling everybody about them.

"Community is connections, and I need to take the time to listen to everybody. I need to find out where the community wants to go. I see my place as being out in the community, building relationships and deciding what goals our planning needs to work toward.

"It's a great time in our history," Christie said. "Together, we're going to build an environment in which we all take responsibility for our future. People who have to leave here for school or any other reason will be counting the days until they can come back."

She said the community will have to get used to her.

"I'm an intense person. My work affects peoples' futures, and I don't take that lightly. There's room for enormous growth here, not only in industry and economics, but in the way the community feels about itself."

"I wasn't looking for a job," she said, "but I'm grateful Harrison was looking for someone like me."

Christie sees this move as a significant new chapter in her life.

"For years, I've been helping communities," she said. "It's time for me to become part of one."