Gil Mathew, the former owner of Benchmark Thermal, was named the new President and CEO of the Economic Resource Council.

Mathew, a past member of the ERC board, "rose to the top" above 40 other contenders for the position, said ERC board chair Jeff Johnson.

Mathew is the founder of Benchmark Thermal, a decades-old local company that manufactures heating elements. He sold the business earlier this year, Johnson said.

Mathew's success as a businessman, his economic development and past board experience combined with his managing style, communications skills and general knowledge of local county and city governments made him the right man for the job, Johnson said.

The ERC's mission is to enhance the economic vitality of Nevada County by supporting the retention, expansion and attraction of jobs to the area, Johnson said.

Outgoing president Chuck Neeley, who handed over the reins at the end of this month, had some words of wisdom for his successor.

"Keep a global perspective of what's going on in the community. There's so many things to look at, it's easy to get lost in the fray," Neeley said.

- Laura Brown