After a competitive search process over this past summer, the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce and Board of Directors has hired its new executive director, Tony Cameron.

A Brunswick native, Cameron served as the executive director of the Ellsworth Area Chamber of Commerce and prior to that he was the membership and marketing director for nearly five years at the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce.

Tony and his wife, Elizabeth, wanted to return to the Midcoast region, so when a position became available for his wife’s specialized field of work, they decided to relocate the family. They bring with them two young boys, ages 2 and 4, and Rufus the dog, to share in their future adventures.

Cameron and his family are looking forward to becoming a part of the Boothbay Harbor region, and taking advantage of all it has to offer.

“I’m excited and thrilled to become part of the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce. I’m looking forward to working with the businesses and the communities the Chamber serves while promoting the Boothbay region as a premier destination,” said Cameron.

Board of Directors President Jim Chaousis and hiring committee members Dorothy Freeman, Lorna Weber, Susan Wood and Meagan Hamblett report the chamber received 42 applications of which five rose to the top and received interviews. The final candidate was invited to a second interview with members of the hiring committee as well as the chamber staff.

“It was a highly competitive and thoughtful selection process,” said Chaousis. “Our top priorities in choosing an executive director came down to the following: a team oriented leader with a proven ability to work well with all sectors of the business community as well as volunteers and staff, a candidate with a chamber background and experience in strategic planning, budget management and traditional as well as non-traditional marketing and e-marketing trends and finally, a thoughtful communicator and presenter who has worked within a tourism setting and understands the importance of advocacy, extending a short summer season and promoting programs through the chamber year-round.”

Cameron will assume his role as executive director in mid-October and will attend the Chambers’ Annual Meeting on Oct. 29, 5 p.m. in the Bosarge Education building at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay.