Former HBA CEO lands at Missouri chamber

After a short stint leading the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield, Ken Thrasher has landed a job at the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Thrasher has been named a regional sales director and will continue to work in this area, according to chamber spokeswoman Andrea Morrow. Thrasher and his family live in Nixa.

In his position, Thrasher will sell memberships to the state chamber, help retain current members and encourage them to become more involved in the organization. Thrasher takes over the duties of the chamber's St. Louis director of membership, who left the organization, Morrow said.

Thrasher resigned from the HBA in November, saying the job wasn't a good fit. "My professional interests were better served by resigning," Thrasher said on Nov. 15.

He started as the head of HBA on July 1, succeeding Gloria Roling, who exited the job in April three months after being hired in the absence of 11-year CEO Matt Morrow. The HBA board has since decided not to hire another CEO, and instead divvy out responsibilities among the organization's current staff members, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

At the chamber, Thrasher also will be tasked with communicating the organization's issues and positions, and cross-marketing its other products and services.

“Thrasher has an established history of successfully working with executive leaders of large organizations and small business entrepreneurs, as well as staff and citizens to identify areas of potential involvement to ultimately improve their businesses,” Missouri chamber President and CEO Dan Mehan said in a news release.[[In-content Ad]]