Auburn Chamber of Commerce names Kevin Hanley as its new CEO

After a lengthy search and selection process, the Auburn Chamber of Commerce has named Kevin Hanley as the new CEO to replace retiring long-time CEO Bruce Cosgrove. The selection process began in October by a team of community volunteers and Auburn Chamber executive team members.

Twenty-four candidates from both the Auburn area and outside the region applied for the CEO position. The selection team narrowed the pool through an extensive review process. The process consisted of a phone interview, written interview and concluded with a series of oral panel interviews led by business leaders.

Hanley will start as CEO on June 2nd. “I grew up watching and admiring my father as he worked six days a week running our family owned butcher shop,” Hanley stated. “The small businesses in the Auburn area are the lifeblood of our community and as CEO of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce, I will work hard to help them prosper and create jobs for local residents.”

Hanley is leaving his job at the State Capitol, where he worked for over twenty-three years as a Chief Policy Consultant on health and insurance law for the California Legislature and as an insurance advisor for Governor Wilson. He served as a naval officer and for the last 11 years as a member of the Auburn City Council where he helped make improvements to the city’s budget, operation of the wastewater treatment plant, economic development, public safety, road repair, and streetscape programs.

CHAIRMAN OF THINK AUBURN FIRST

Hanley helped create and served as Chairman of the Think Auburn First marketing campaign to help small businesses. Hanley also helped create and serves as Chairman of the Greater Auburn Area Fire Safe Council and Project Canyon Safe, which was recently recognized by Pepperdine University as one of the best public-private partnerships in the California.

Hanley has a BA in Political Economy from UC Berkeley, a Masters in Public Policy from Claremont University and is a lector at St. Joseph’s Church. Hanley lives with his wife Hattie in Auburn.

“I think the Chamber’s selection team made an excellent choice in Kevin,” current Chamber CEO Bruce Cosgrove stated. “His love of Auburn and his track record in the community as well as in his career is a really nice fit, and I think he’s the right guy to move us forward into the future.”

The Auburn Chamber of Commerce is on a path for growth and member development. Among Hanley’s initial efforts will include meeting with members both past and present to ensure they are receiving relevant services and also to structure new programs. Additionally, Hanley will help move the Chamber to Central Square along with working toward greater advocacy for members.

CHAMBER AROUND SINCE 1906

“Since 1906, the Auburn Chamber of Commerce has been an indispensable organization in the effort to help local businesses prosper and improve the quality of life for residents in Auburn,” Hanley stated. “Our team will bring forward new ideas to make Auburn an even stronger community in the future.”

“I couldn’t be more thrilled for the future of the Chamber,” said Carolyn Metzker, President of the Auburn Chamber of Commerce. “I was really happy to see so many people applied for this position. The selection process was quite involved with many layers of interviews and a number of people on the hiring panels. Kevin went through all of those interviews very well and it became quite apparent he was the right person for the job.”

“I was very impressed with some of the proposed improvements that Kevin offered in his interview,” said Kahl Muscott, Chamber Board Member and a member of one of the interview panels. “It became very clear that Kevin’s hard work and ideas for change will go a long way toward making the Chamber a great asset for businesses and the Auburn community.”

—Auburn Chamber of Commerce

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