The Nanaimo Downtown Business Improvement Association has elected a new president after the resignation of Bill Carter on March 16.
Shari Molchan will now lead the organization's executive, which is mandated to revitalize downtown Nanaimo and represent more than 1,000 property and business owners.
Molchan, owner of Molchan Financial on Commercial Street, is an active member of the downtown business community. She joined the Nanaimo City Centre Association in 2009, is the past president of the Nanaimo Women's Business Network and was involved with the Heart and Stroke's Big Bike Ride, Cops For Cancer and the annual dragonboat festival.
Carter said the DNBIA will be in good hands with Molchan at the helm.
"Shari has the necessary skills to help our association move forward in its mandate to represent all of our membership fairly and equally," said Carter, who will remain on the DNBIA board.
Carter said he deliberated about stepping down as chairman for a long time, but ultimately decided he needed to spend more time at his business and with his family.
Carter was the first president elected after the organization evolved from the Downtown Nanaimo Partnership Society to the DNBIA after a bitter feud between some business and property owners and the executive in charge of $400,000 in downtown levies and public money.
Last spring, the constitution was reconstructed to provide members with more say in how the money is spent and increased transparency on the board of directors.
The DNBIA board oversees staff, sets policy, approves the annual budget and takes positions on political questions on behalf of its members.
Board meetings are held on the third Wednesday of each month and are open to the public.