Joan Verplanck has been named president of the Delaware State Chamber of Commerce. The board approved the appointment on Monday afternoon.
WDEL had reported Verplanck’s selection on Friday. The new president did not make any remarks at the chamber’s annual meeting, which was attended by 900 members and guests.
William Allan, the outgoing chair, said the selection came after a six-month search.
Verplanck is a former president of the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, also in New Jersey. She served for 15 years in that post.
She had worked in New Jersey as senior director for Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate brokerage firm.
Last year, she was named as one Best 50 Women in Business by Business NJ., one of a number of such honors she had won over the years.
Her departure from the the New Jersey Chamber in 2010 came apparent strains between the chamber and the administration of incoming Gov. Chris Christie.
Verplanck succeeds James Wolfe, who retired as Chamber chief last year. Wolfe was a former manager of the Chrysler Newark Assembly Plant.
Rich Heffron has been serving as interim chamber president.
The Delaware State Chamber is the state’s largest business organization.
