ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 24, 1996 TAG: 9604240013
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: DUBLIN
SOURCE: ELISSA MILENKY STAFF WRITER
Pulaski businessman Hiawatha Nicely will not take on the top post at the New River Valley Economic Development Alliance after all, the nonprofit regional marketing agency announced Tuesday.
Nicely, a former alliance president, accepted the position as the organization's executive director earlier this month following a nationwide search. He was supposed to start work May 1.
"I really wanted to do that job, I had looked forward to doing it, but was unable to rearrange my business, personal and previous community involvement commitments," Nicely said Tuesday. "I thought it was a better time to withdraw now than after the fact of taking over that position."
Nicely, an alliance board member since 1986, said time conflicts were discussed before he accepted the job but he thought it would not be a problem. After taking the job, however, Nicely said there were personal and professional commitments he had to honor.
He said he will continue to work with the alliance.
"The alliance is a very valuable organization and needs the full attention and support of all our local governments," Nicely said.
Nicely had been the only Virginian out of six finalists for the job, who were culled from a pool of 70 applicants. The alliance held a news conference April 2 to formally announce Nicely had accepted the position.
Alliance President Barry Evans said the organization is "heavily concentrating" on one of the five other finalists and hopes to make an announcement in mid-May.
In the meantime, Frank Crockett, a certified economic developer with American Electric Power, will continue as interim director. Evans said the alliance's business recruitment efforts have not been hampered by the absence of an executive director.
"We are meeting with clients, we are soliciting prospects, we are continuing our database everyday," Evans said.
Alliance officials and Nicely also stressed that this latest announcement would not have a negative impact on the alliance's reputation or credibility.
"We're concerned about it, we want to make sure we have the high quality and high reputation and this is a momentary blip," said Danny Hardy, alliance president-elect. "We're going to continue on and we'll get back to where we need to be."
LENGTH: Short : 49 linesby CNB