Ann Arbor Chamber names former state representative John Hansen interim head

The Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce announced today that John Hansen has been hired as the interim president and CEO for the organization, according to a news release sent at about noon.

Hansen will temporarily fill the vacancy created when former CEO Jesse Bernstein left the chamber in late June. Chamber leaders have said the interim CEO will not be considered for the permanent position.

Hansen’s experience includes work in education, politics and consultation. He served as Superintendent of the Dexter Community Schools from 1984-1998. He was also state representative for the 52nd House District from 1999-2002. He served on the Energy & Technology, Agriculture and K-12 Appropriations Committees.

A major issue facing the chamber as it seeks a permanent leader is what some people describe as a divide in the city between traditional businesses and the emerging tech sector.Â Karl Couyoumjian, vice chairman of the chamber and president of Ann Arbor-based Thainer Electronic Laboratories, described the scenario in a recent Business Review article.

“We need to keep evolving,” Couyoumjian said. “The business climate is very different than it was 10 or 20 years ago. It’s not businessmen in fedoras carrying a briefcase. We’re a very diverse business community - diverse in age, in business type, in style. Not everybody goes to a brick-and-mortar building, goes to an office and sits at a desk.”

The Ann Arbor chamber is based in offices on South Main Street.

Membership has fallen from about 1,350 last year to about 1,250 this summer, Bernstein said in June.