Nacogdoches Chamber President Accepts Position in Colorado

A great friend to many and a man who has done so much for Nacogdoches County and beyond will soon be off to climb another mountain. 

According to a press release from the Nacogdoches Chamber, Bruce Partain, President/CEO of the Nacogdoches County Chamber since 2001, has been named as the new President/CEO of the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce in Colorado.

"We wish Bruce the best, and acknowledge his many contributions here in Nacogdoches," said Jessica Henderson, Nacogdoches County Chamber chair. "He helped create the Lone Star Legislative Summit, as well as leading us to become one of the very few four-star accredited Chambers in the United States.  He worked to bring us our Film Friendly and Certified Retirement Community designations from the state of Texas."

"I have so many great friends here in Nacogdoches," Partain said. "My goal is that those friendships are lifelong.  I have a unique opportunity in Longmont to combine my profession and my family, as one of my sons, his wife and children live in the Longmont area."

Longmont is 37 miles north of Denver, CO.

Partain is married to Dr. Linda T. Bond, who teaches advertising and newswriting at Stephen F. Austin State University.

"Linda plans to stay here in Nacogdoches through at least the spring semester," Partain said. "She has several classes to which she is committed and at least one major project to finish."

Prior to coming to Nacogdoches, Partain was vice president of membership and communications for the Midland Chamber of Commerce.  He earned his Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) designation in 2012.  He currently serves as chair of the board of the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives.

Partain earned a journalism degree from Oklahoma State University and geology degrees from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber Institute for Organization Management and Southern Methodist University.  He is also a graduate of the Economic Development Institute (EDI) at the University of Oklahoma.

Chamber chair-elect Rusty Rust will be organizing a search committee for the next Nacogdoches County Chamber CEO.  "I expect we will take our time, but will announce soon our procedures for receiving applications," Rust said.