QC Chamber has ‘recipe for winning’ thanks to a full staff

The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce is fully staffed for the first time in more than a year after filling three of its top leadership posts, including hiring the new Chief Strategy Officer Brian Irby. In addition to Mr. Irby, the other two experienced leaders joining the chamber team are Brie Collier, vice president, finance […]

The Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce is fully staffed for the first time in more than a year after filling three of its top leadership posts, including hiring the new Chief Strategy Officer Brian Irby. In addition to Mr. Irby, the other two experienced leaders joining the chamber team are Brie Collier, vice president, finance and administration, and James Porter, vice president, talent and inclusion. 

“I'm excited to welcome new perspectives to the chamber leadership team,” CEO LaDrina Wilson said in a chamber website post on Wednesday, April 13. Filling key staff positions and improving morale among “excellent” existing staff were among the goals that Ms. Wilson set when she agreed to lead the chamber last December after an unsuccessful search to find a replacement for former CEO Paul Rumler.  Mr. Rumler left the QC chamber in spring 2022 to become the new CEO and executive vice president of CCIM Institute. He was soon joined at CCIM by the chamber’s former Chief Strategy Officer Mike Oberhaus, who became CCIM’s chief financial officer. Mr. Oberhaus helped lead the QC team that captured projects including the Amazon Fulfillment Center and Fair Oaks Farms’ fully cooked bacon production facility – now under construction in north Davenport.  Ms. Wilson celebrated the new hires in Wednesday’s chamber post.  “With a full team we will be able to re-engage our members in some of the past activities of the Chamber, but also create some new and innovative approaches to member services and economic development that take into account the fresh set of eyes we have on the business community’s challenges,” she said. “The new faces combined with the knowledge of our existing dedicated leadership team members is a recipe for winning.”  The trio of new leaders boasts decades of experience and expertise in their fields and proven track records of success, the chamber said this week. Mr. Irby, for example, spent 20 years in the marketing and communications world where he managed teams and worked with clients from family-owned small businesses to multibillion-dollar Fortune 500 companies. The chamber highlighted his “passion for problem solving, developing creative ideas and deploying meaningful communications” and his vision for growing the Quad Cities. “I joined the team for the specific reason that I think there’s a great opportunity for the Quad Cities,” Mr. Irby said in the chamber’s post. “I believe that with the chamber leading the way, there will be great successes that will truly make the Quad Cities a great, premier destination for people to live, work and grow.”  Mr. Irby’s new duties include executing the chamber’s long-term strategy and annual work plan, leading major initiatives and helping guide the internal direction of the chamber. 

With the chamber’s team fully staffed, he said “We now have the leadership in place to ensure that all of our team members are fully supported and have the necessary resources to succeed.”  The new team also includes Ms. Collier, who brings 20 years experience working in finance. Her expertise in finance and accounting, combined with her desire to be part of an organization that makes an impact on our community, makes her a valued member team, the chamber said. The new VP of finance and administration will manage the chamber’s financial assets and be responsible for overall policy and management of all finance and accounting functions. “We can now be very strategic about how we use our resources to have the largest impact for our communities, our business partners, and all of our members and stakeholder groups,” the chamber said. 

Ms. Collier said in the news release that the retooled leadership team will play a major role in delivering value to chamber members and stakeholders.  “They should be excited to see what’s coming down the pipeline,” she said. “Being fully staffed is going to provide such additional depth of knowledge and power behind what our organization can do for our communities. I think they’re going to see the impact in their businesses and throughout the region.”  Mr. Porter will join the chamber after working as a positive behavior support liaison, attendance coach and lead education specialist in Iowa schools. His duties included creating job opportunities, innovating job mentorship programs, job shadowing, internship and apprenticeship for high school students.  The chamber said he is passionate about building, developing and maintaining relationships to foster and increase talent and diversity in the Quad Cities.  The new vice president of talent and inclusion will be tasked with developing the chamber’s talent development work plan and the strategy and work plans for development and growth of talent within the region. The chamber said Mr. Porter will work toward making the region more inclusive through allocating resources to underrepresented businesses and individuals.  "I am excited to join the leadership team and be a part of the impact that we will have with new ideas and a winning attitude. I am confident in our capabilities to build and maintain talent to meet the needs of our community members, businesses and partnerships. I am looking forward to building new relationships and expanding on current relationships with partners in the Quad Cities region," Mr. Porter said.