Launch Regional Partnership, a coalition of business and community leaders from across North Alabama working to foster regional collaboration and envision a shared future for the area, announced Tuesday the hiring of its current Chairman Jim Page to serve as interim executive director.
Founded in 2015, the all-volunteer nonprofit organization’s work has centered around alignment of workforce development efforts, growth of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and strategic land use planning throughout its 10-county footprint. Launch recently completed a new strategic plan known as the Roadmap for the Region, which further expands the organization’s scope through collaboration on issues such as transportation and infrastructure, as well as regional leadership connectivity. Hiring a full-time executive director is a top priority in the strategic plan as well.
“Jim is the ideal person to lead Launch through this critical time in its history, especially in the dual role of Chairman and Interim Executive Director,” said Joe Campbell, chief legal counsel for the Huntsville Hospital Health System and a member of the Launch Board of Directors. “We firmly believe we’re on the cusp of creating something extremely special but, after 10 years of an all-volunteer effort, it’s time for full-time executive leadership. Jim’s proven experience of doing this type of work and his exceptionally strong relationships throughout the region will expedite our success in implementing our new strategic plan.”
Prior to joining Huntsville’s MartinFed as an executive vice president in 2023, Page spent more than 20 years as a chamber of commerce executive. He was president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama in Tuscaloosa for 11 years. Under Page’s leadership, the 9-county regional organization was named the 2021 Chamber of the Year by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives. He started his chamber career as vice president of Public Policy and Business Development with the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce.
“It is a great honor to assume this additional role and help accelerate efforts to make Launch an even more dynamic, inclusive, and results-driven organization,” said Page. “I truly believe in the power of regionalism and know that genuine collaboration across sectors and county lines is the only way a region can maximize its growth potential. My goal is to spend the coming weeks positioning this unique organization and its permanent Executive Director to be leading champions of regionalism in North Alabama.”
