CANTON — The St. Lawrence County County Chamber has named a new executive director.

“Ben has been a friend of the Chamber in many capacities for a number of years with over 14 years on the board,” said Board President Nadia Cutler. “Our interview process allowed us to learn even more about Ben's professional experiences and the opportunities he will bring to build upon the great work the Chamber has done.”

Dixon has served as the coordinator of regional development for St. Lawrence University since 2006. In that role he has represented the university to numerous entities committed to the economic and community development of Canton, St. Lawrence County, and the North Country Region. He has coordinated fourteen North Country Symposiums – an annual forum aimed at exploring and enhancing the economic, educational, and environmental vitality of the North Country region. Through the Symposium, Ben was able to bring new ideas and emerging approaches to sustainable development to our region. While at St. Lawrence University, he worked in various other areas, including a period of time coordinating green campus programs and work on campus energy efficiency and energy management.

Since 2012, Ben has also managed the Associated Colleges of the St. Lawrence Valley, a not-for-profit consortium of Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton and SUNY Potsdam.

Prior to his arrival in St. Lawrence County, Ben worked at Harvard’s Office for Sponsored Programs. Over the course of six years there, he was promoted several times to the position of Sr. Grants & Contracts Specialist where he was responsible for managing multiple grant opportunities and partnerships. While at Harvard, he took graduate courses in Environmental Resource Management and Sustainable Development.

“I am absolutely thrilled at the opportunity to work with the St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce - its staff, its Board of Directors, and its hundreds of members and partners – to build a vibrant business climate in the county and enhance its economic vitality and wonderful quality of life” said Dixon.

He can be reached after Feb. 1 at ben@slcchamber.org.

The new hiring is part of a reorganization brought on by changing priorities due to the pandemic, most notably, moving away from a strong event based operation, a press release from the chamber said. In the reorganization, current executive director, Brooke Rouse requested a transition to the new director of tourism role at the chamber, opening the search for a new Executive Director. Rouse has been executive director since 2014. She will continue to develop tourism destination planning and marketing, working with the county, regional and state partners to leverage opportunities for the growth of St. Lawrence County as a destination.

Rouse can be reached at brooke@slcchamber.org.