Coleman Lew Conducts Search for SC Chamber CEO

Otis Rawl to Serve as President and CEO of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors announces the promotion of Otis Rawl to President and CEO, effective October 1, 2008. Rawl succeeds S. Hunter Howard, Jr. who spent 17 years building the South Carolina Chamber into one of the state's most powerful and successful advocacy groups.

Rawl joined the South Carolina Chamber in 2001 as Vice President of Public Policy. In 2004, he was named Chief Operating Officer and has since been in charge of the Chamber's overall operations including public policy, legislative affairs, work force development, administration, membership, and communications.

"I've had the pleasure of working with talented people throughout my career. Otis Rawl has always been one of the most talented individuals that I've had the pleasure to work with," said S. Hunter Howard, Jr., President and CEO of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. "I'm leaving the Chamber with the knowledge that we have found the right person to help our membership and the business community continue to find success in the global marketplace. With his leadership I am sure that the Chamber and business community will lead the way in growing individual wealth for our citizens."

The Executive Committee of the South Carolina Chamber Board of Directors retained Coleman Lew & Associates to conduct a nationwide executive search. More than 400 leaders from businesses, government, community affairs, and state and city chambers were contacted about the position. Out of this pool of candidates, more than 20 candidates were personally interviewed by the executive search firm. A short list of 10 candidates was presented to the South Carolina Chamber search committee who selected five candidates for personal, face-to-face interviews. The search committee presented the final candidate to the South Carolina Chamber Executive Committee, which unanimously approved Rawl as the new CEO.

The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the nation's first state chamber Accredited with Distinction by the U.S. Chamber, is the state's largest statewide broad-based business and industry trade association representing more than 6,500 member companies and more than 600,000 member employees, with 90 percent of membership comprised of small businesses. As the unified voice for business and industry, the Chamber is a catalyst for increasing per capita income and enhancing the state's global competitiveness in order to improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians. www.scchamber.net.

Coleman Lew & Associates, Inc., founded in 1979 and headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is a international retained executive search firm that recruits board members, officers, and senior level executives for national and international companies, academic institutions and non-profit organizations. The firm also provides customized leadership development services to organizations seeking to maximize corporate performance. Member, Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC).