Jim Johnson on July 12 officially stepped in as the new president and CEO of the Pearland Chamber of Commerce. He replaced Carol Artz-Bucek, who retired at the end of June after serving as the chamber’s president and CEO for 18 years.

“The goals of the chamber are to engage our businesses to truly understand how we can serve them and promote growth,” Johnson said in an email. “We will evaluate all programs to ensure they meet member expectations and engage them in their business and professional lifecycle.”

Johnson was the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce president and CEO since 2018 before stepping down June 30 to take on the similar role in Pearland. Being closer to family played a factor in the move, Johnson said.

“Spending nearly six years away has reinforced our family’s desire to relocate back to Pearland,” Johnson said. “The Pearland Chamber [of Commerce] has proven to be a sustainable organization. The potential within the organization to establish new programs while enhancing the existing programs is exciting.”