Chamber shuffles executive leadership

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce has promoted its vice president of business assistance to executive vice president.

Rob Dixon is appointed to the position effective today, according to a news release.

Dixon succeeds Brad Bodenhausen, who today started as the part-time director of Missouri State University's International Leadership and Training Center, a program the university is partnering with the chamber on during its first year. Bodenhausen will split his time in half with the chamber, where he will maintain an office, but has informed the organization of his intention to step down to become the full-time director of the ILTC after its partnership with the chamber has concluded, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

Former U.S. Marine Dixon started with the Springfield chamber in August 2010 after serving as director of community and economic development for the city of Hollister and executive director of the Hollister Area Chamber of Commerce.

As executive vice president, Dixon is charged with leading the chamber's efforts in public affairs, community development and special events, as well as assisting with long-range planning and other executive-level decisions, the release said.

Though Dixon will continue to serve as a liaison between local government and area business, Kristen Westerman, manager of workforce development, will assume much of the responsibilities associated with business development and expansion.