Jeffrey Hamilton, of Rockport, was elected as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce at the board’s annual business meeting Jan. 21. 

Hamilton replaces Garry Schwall, owner of Pine Grove Cottages in Lincolnville, as the Chamber’s board chair.  Schwall had served as chair for the past year, and did not seek re-election to the post, although he remains on the board.  

Hamilton owns JA Hamilton Consulting, a business consulting firm based in Rockport.   Hamilton was first appointed to the chamber board in 2017 to fill the unexpired term of a departing board member, as was then elected to a full three-year term which began in 2019.  Hamilton served as treasurer on the Chamber board in 2020.   

Prior to establishing his consulting practice, Hamilton led a nearly 40-year career in leadership in the manufacturing sector, most recently as plant manager for DuPont Nutrition USA (formerly FMC) in Rockland.  Hamilton also currently serves as a member of the Rockport Select Board.  

Other Officers elected to one-year officer terms at the Chamber board’s annual meeting include Vice Chair Sheila Lowe of Aflac; Secretary Sandy Cox, of the New England Real Estate Company; and Treasurer Steve Matteo, of Camden National Bank.  Schwall will also serve on the Executive Committee as Immediate Past Chair.

The Chamber board also welcomed four new board members to its first meeting, after having been elected to the board last fall. 

New board members include:

Chris Austin, Ardiah Managed Services
Diane Lebson, Evergreen Philanthropic Solutions
Charlie Page, Maritime Energy
Laura Tracy, Bangor Savings Bank. 

The new board members replaced four board members who ended their terms in 2020, including Lisa Dresser, Cates Real Estate; Bob Fernald, Down East Magazine; Sarah McLean of Global Packing and Shipping; and Shelby Riley Gray, Hampton Inn & Suites.  

Nine additional board members continue their terms on the 18-person Chamber board in 2021, including:

Jodie Heal, Heal Accounting

Zach Herrick, Edward Jones Investments

Celia Knight, Knight Marine Service

Joan LeMole, New Hope For Women

Richard Lyon, Coastal Healthcare Alliance

Rick Manning, LCI

Dan Pease, Rock Harbor Brewing Co.

John Viehman, United Midcoast Charities

Lisa Weiss, Hawthorn Inn

The Board of Directors of the Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce consists of 18 business and community leaders, each elected to three-year terms by the Chamber’s membership and board.  The board sets the strategic vision and provides governance to the Chamber’s activities.

The Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce serves as a primary business conduit for the Camden-Rockland Region, which encompasses 27 municipalities within and surrounding Knox County.  The Chamber provides a variety of platforms and opportunities for close to 800 business and non-profit members to promote themselves to residents and visitors to the region.  To learn more, visit www.CamdenRockland.com or call 207-596-0376.