Schaumburg Business Association names new president

The Schaumburg Business Association's board of directors Friday announced that Tonya Lamia, vice president of investor relations for the Rockford Area Economic Development Council, will become SBA president upon Laurie Stone's retirement at the end of May.

Lamia said her first contact with the SBA came through current board Chairman Dave Strahl, director of external affairs for AT&T Illinois.

When AT&T's former representative for the Rockford area was not replaced, Strahl's responsibilities extended in that direction. It was then that he learned of and became involved with the Rockford group's five-year strategic plan for economic development, which Lamia played a pivotal role in implementing.

Strahl asked Lamia to explain the plan to SBA directors, who were putting together a three-year plan of their own. "The first thing that occurred to me was how enthusiastic and dedicated the SBA board members are," Lamia said. "They're definitely not a passive group."

One of the biggest differences between Rockford and Schaumburg is that Rockford has a largely industrial economy that was especially hard hit by the recent downturn, while Schaumburg has the sort of diversified economy that's ideal for resiliency in such times, Lamia said.

A big difference between the Rockford group and the SBA is that the Rockford organization deals directly with economic development for the area, while in Schaumburg that's a task the village itself has largely spearheaded. Lamia said she would like the SBA to be more of a partner, though not a competitor, with the village in the area of economic development.

Lamia's selection is the culmination of an extensive search to replace the retiring founding president. Stone has taken the SBA from a "gleam in the eye" of its founding members to one of the most dynamic business organizations in the Northwest suburbs. Under her leadership, the SBA has grown to nearly 700 members in under a decade.

Strahl said in a news release, "Replacing Laurie has been a daunting task that was made much easier by the active participation of the search team and board of directors. We are fortunate to have found a person with the blend of ability, education, experience and passion for business that Tonya exhibits. We are expecting great things from her."