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BOYNE CITY - The new executive director of the Boyne Area Chamber of Commerce was in the thick of things during his first week on the job. Jim Baumann began with the chamber on July 1, the week of the Fourth of July and typically the busiest week of the summer. But the flow of people coming into the chamber for information and the constant ring of the telephone only energized the new director.

"It's been wild and crazy. The phone has been ringing non-stop, people have been coming in the door non-stop, I love this work," Baumann said as he handed out tickets for one of the weekend events.

Baumann comes well prepared for his job. He has acquired experience from positions at three other chambers of commerce in California - Carlsbad, Poway and Vista. Along the way, he created newsletters and websites and won awards from the Western Association of Chamber Executives.

He started a publication known as the "Encinitas Magazine," named after a city in which he lived in California. He also held the position of editor for eight years at a newspaper in Encinitas.

Before he and his wife, Jamie, moved to California, Baumann lived and worked in the Boyne City area. Baumann began at the Charlevoix County Press as a reporter in 1975, and before he left in 1981, he had moved into the positions of general manager and editor.

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He and Jamie never lost touch with Boyne City throughout the years. They frequently traveled from California to vacation in the area.

"We had it in our minds that we'd move back here all along," Baumann said. Boyne City is home and the two can't think of any other small town they like as well.

Baumann's technology skills will help the chamber develop more website offerings and perhaps an E-newsletter. Baumann said that he likes what he sees at the chamber and in the town.

The city, its Main Street program and the chamber board all work together and that builds relationships that produce successful results, he said.

"It seems that Boyne City has had reasonable and thoughtful growth," said Baumann and added that the businesses seem to be doing well. "It's a healthy town," he said.