December 05, 2003
(Updated) Papers Report That Portland Business Alliance Is Ready To Give Kimbrough The Boot
Note: This post has been updated. Any and all updates appear at the end of the original post.
[D'oh. Didn't see the breaking news update from the Tribune. See the bottom of this item for the updated details.]
Having only just recently slammed Kim Kimbrough, president of the Portland Business Alliance, on this site (as part of a post in which I endorsed Mayoral candidate Jim Francesconi for the position), I find in today's Portland Tribune an indication that the outside hired gun may be on his way out at long last:
The board's executive committee discussed the future of Chief Executive Officer Franklin "Kim" Kimbrough during its annual retreat Thursday, according to several sources who asked not to be identified. No decision had been announced by press time, and Kimbrough could not be reached for comment.
...
One source familiar with the alliance said two factions among the group's executive board are split over whether Kimbrough's efforts to take on a more expansive, regional role, rather than focusing on Portland, have been successful.
As I've argued before, the real issue should be whether or not a man not of Portland, with no real appreciation for Portland as Portland, with a cookie-cutter checklist approach to running a business boosting organization, should be running the PBA at all.
The article also gives a brief look at the relationship between Kimbrough and various members of the City Council.
Meanwhile, over in today's "City Matters" column, Henry Stern has this item:
Talk around City Hall on Thursday was about the fate of Portland Business Alliance President and CEO Kim Kimbrough, whose aggressive style since moving from St. Louis to Portland in 2001 has rankled politicians and divided business heavyweights. An alliance spokesman says nothing like Kimbrough's departure came up at an executive committee meeting Thursday on strategic planning and that Kimbrough fully expects to attend an alliance retreat in January.
You'll have to forgive me if I root for the Tribune version of events over that of The Oregonian, and if I hope that the PBA manages to turn to someone local to take Kimbrough's place. We already know the identity of my pick.
Update
Unnoticed by me until after posting this, I now find this breaking news from the Portland Tribune:
Franklin "Kim" Kimbrough, the embattled president of the Portland Business Alliance, resigned Friday afternoon after a tumultuous three-year reign. Kimbrough's departure, rumored for weeks among city officials and business leaders, came after alliance executive committee members held a retreat Thursday morning. PBA members said Kimbrough's status as the group's leader has been in question for weeks; Kimbrough's decision apparently came either during or after the retreat.
According to the paper, "Pat LaCrosse, past director of the Portland Development Commission and retired president of the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, will serve as the group's interim president." A two-to-six month search for a new president will follow.
This is, of course, information I probably was sent via email today, but didn't receive since my email continue to be non-existent until sometime next week at the earliest.