Paul Boucher, director of the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, looks over guidelines for evaluating foliage from the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development, October 4, 2011. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.
Paul Boucher, director of the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, looks over guidelines for evaluating foliage from the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development, October 4, 2011. (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com.

Lebanon — The Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce is interviewing candidates to succeed Paul Boucher, who retired last month after a 37-year affiliation with the organization, including 16 years as its president.

“We’d like to find a replacement by the fall by the latest and we’re going through the process right now. We want to make sure we find a good replacement. There are big shoes to fill,” said Curt Jacques, chairman of the chamber’s board.

The chamber, with 354 members, sponsors the Wings and Wheels antique plane and automobile show at the Lebanon Municipal Airport and co-sponsors with the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce the annual HomeLife Expo at the Leverone Field House in Hanover.

Under Boucher’s direction, the chamber launched the Leadership Upper Valley Program, an education program that aims to foster emerging business and nonprofit managers to better serve the community and is now run by Vital Communities. The organization also formed the Economic Vitality Exchange Committee with the city of Lebanon, a forum of city managers and area business people who meet monthly to discuss ideas to boost the local economy.

Jacques said the next chamber president shouldn’t expect a radically new mandate. “The (chamber’s) mission hasn’t changed,” he said. “We continue to serve our constituency. We’re advocates for business in the Upper Valley and growth, to be the vehicle for business to voice their opinions.”

Boucher first became a director of the chamber in 1979 and then board chairman in 1983. In 2000, he was named president and chief executive. Prior to becoming the chamber’s sole full-time paid employee, Boucher worked in property and casualty insurance for two different firms in Lebanon. A native of Hudson, N.H., he started his career in banking in Nashua and Claremont before switching to insurance in Lebanon.

Boucher is an ordained deacon and holds a master’s degree in theology from Notre Dame College in Manchester. He serves at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Claremont. Boucher is empowered to preside over ministerial functions such weddings and baptisms.

He said he expects to serve St. Mary’s in a deeper capacity now that he will have the time.

“I’ll probably add duties,” Boucher said. “My pastor has a list.”

John Lippman can be reached at 603-727-3219 or jlippman@vnews.com.

John Lippman is a staff reporter at the Valley News. He can be reached at 603-727-3219 or email at jlippman@vnews.com.