Chamber taps Jim Albert as next director

The Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce this week picked Jim Albert as its next director. Read the story here.
Update: Here is the chamber's press release, issued a few hours after the story:

Jim Albert, right, talking with Steve Jeffries

The Central Connecticut/Greater Bristol Chambers of Commerce, one of the largest of the eight Metro Chambers of Connecticut, today announced that it has hired James R. Albert of Bristol, Connecticut as its new President and Chief Executive Officer.

Central Chamber Board Chairman, Attorney Timothy Furey, stated, “After a nationwide search with multiple qualified candidates the Central Connecticut Chamber of Commerce was able to find a highly qualified, highly motivated individual, right in its own backyard.”

Jim Albert stated, “I am very excited and humbled by this opportunity to support the business community and citizens of Bristol and the cities and towns within the Central Connecticut Chamber.  We are at a pivotal time of change and need to work together to grow the economic strength and future of our city and our region.  I look forward to representing the business community and working with our city and state leadership to improve our economy and quality of life.”

Jim was simultaneously awarded Officer of the Year and IT Project Manager of the Year while serving in the U.S. Air Force. Recognized more recently as elected President of the Connecticut Chapter of the Society for Information Management (SIM) and as Healthcare CIO of the Year (2011) by the New England Chapter of the Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) for innovative and effective application and adoption of technology to improve organizational performance at various healthcare institutions for which he was employed.

Jim received a M.S. in technology management from the American University in Washington DC and a B.S. in risk management and insurance from the University of Connecticut in Storrs.

Jim lives in Bristol with his wife Denise and has two daughters, Andrea Albert, PhD who is a physicist employed at Stanford University and Lisa Albert, B.S. in international business who is a marketing professional for Toyota at MMB Advertising in the Boston Area.

Jim will begin work at the Chamber on January 6.

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