Homer Alaska - News

A little more than a year after accepting the post as the Homer Chamber of Commerce executive director, Paul R. Dauphinais has announced his resignation. Dauphinais' last day at the chamber will be Feb. 18.

"This was not part of the plan," Dauphinais told the Homer News. "These things happen and you have to do what's right for the family."

Dauphinais and his wife, Debra, will be returning to the Mat-Su region where they have family and where Dauphinais served as the chief academic and administrative officer of the Matanuska-Susitna College, University of Alaska Anchorage, from 2002-2006.

On Feb. 22, he begins a new position as the executive director of Alaska Public Offices Commission.

"We're at the place we want to retire," Dauphinais said of Homer. "But this was one of those things that happen and you have to roll with the punches and do what you need to do. We like it here. We really enjoy living in Homer and we're going to spend a fair amount of time down here."

The couple has no plans to sell the home they purchased after moving to Homer. Neither do they plan to relocate their boat from Kachemak Bay to Big Lake.

"The fish are too small," said Dauphinais, laughing. "You'll be seeing us here."

Prior to accepting the position with the Homer chamber, Dauphinais served as president of Garrett College in McHenry, Md. He was selected by the chamber's board of directors from a field of 32 applicants and began work Nov. 30, 2009.

In a press release issued by the board at the time, it noted Dauphinais' experience in budget, education and organizational management, and projects requiring consensus, fundraising and working partnerships.

"This job has been interesting and can be a lot of fun. It has a lot of potential, but at the same time, both the members and the board need to make some tough decisions. There are some things looming on the horizon and people need to be planning now," said Dauphinais.

Specifically, he noted changes the one-halibut and size limit recently imposed on Southeast Alaska's sport halibut charter industry, limitations local captains have voiced concerns could spread to this area of the state.

"What would that do to a fair amount of our tourist traffic?" said Dauphinais. "People need to start thinking a couple years down the road and really go through those efforts now so that if, and I say if a size limit or a one-fish limit comes to this area, the city, the chamber and the businesses are all in a position to put a plan in place and not react haphazardly at the last minute."

Stressing the importance of planning, Dauphinais referred to President Dwight D. Eisenhower's famous quote regarding D-Day: "Plans are nothing; planning is everything."

Mike Dye, treasurer of the chamber's board of directors, said Dauphinais made the board aware of his plans a week ago. In terms of a replacement, Dye said, "(Dauphinais) worked that out with us. We'll be placing in interim director and will be finalizing the agreement later this week."

Of the out-doing executive director, Dye said, "We're going to miss him and we wish him well."

McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.