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Lucy Ivins is no longer the executive director of the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce after a board of directors meeting Monday.

Ivins was hired only last June to replace Kari Frilot, who had been chamber director since December 2002 and left to take a job in charge of the grant program for the Nevada Commission on Tourism.

In a brief statement, chamber President Mike Selbach said, "The chamber is heading in a different direction and we didn't feel Lucy was the fit for the direction the chamber is trying to take."

Selbach said the chamber board won't be in a hurry to hire her replacement. "We're not going to be in any rush. We're going to make sure it's done right," he said.

When Frilot left, chamber board members advertised for her replacement through the Western Association of Chamber Executives as well as locally. Ivins is a Pahrump resident who was chairman of the beautification committee for the old Pahrump Valley Community Action Team, which formulated a sign ordinance.

Ivins had worked for Star Leadership Associates, a Las Vegas company, as a corporate trainer and business consultant working with the Southern Nevada construction industry. She formerly wrote a column for the Pahrump Valley Times entitled "Follow The Leader."

Ivins is a Pennsylvania native and was chief executive officer and president of the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce in Collegeville, Pa., from 1992 to 1999 before moving to Nevada. She attended Ursinus College in Blue Bell, Pa., and worked for Unisys Corporation headquarters in marketing and human resources.

Dan Rodriguez, the former chamber president who hired Ivins, said, "When she came on, the economy was just starting to have a downturn. She came in with great experience in different facets that could help us, everything from starting the convention bureau to the visitors center to expand our focus. Her focus was to bring all of that under the chamber's umbrella."

Rodriguez added, however, that "it's difficult for people to accept change. We went through a growing period. I would hope that her leaving is the best thing for the chamber. I know Lucy was a strong believer that the chamber of commerce should be the place for a one-stop for conventions and visitors. She immediately put that in place, and as chamber president I supported her in that.

"There were other entities that wanted to take on those roles. She had to work within the different personalities that wanted to do it. That probably had a lot to do with it." He added the downturn in the economy affected the chamber.

Selbach said the threatened lawsuit against Sparks over the use of a slogan "Valley of Festivals," crafted by Rodriguez for the Pahrump chamber, had nothing to do with Ivins leaving as director.

The chamber came up with a plan to offer a festival each month, like the Mardi Gras Festival in February and Frontier Days to go along with the chili cook-off in May.

Rodriguez said there had been some friction with the town of Pahrump over the chamber events and with Pahrump Alliance Valley Economic Development (PAVED). But Rodriguez said he has confidence in the current chamber board, which he described as a strong one with community-minded members.

"If it was their choice to have Lucy leave, I would trust their decision," Rodriguez said.

Tim Lockinger, a member of the Pahrump tourism advisory board, said Ivins stepped down from the same board effective June 1 to sit on the Nevada Silver Trails board.

"We worked together with Lucy very well," Lockinger said. "She always had great ideas, she really helped the tourism advisory board to start moving forward into the future."

Al Balloqui, Pahrump economic development manager, recalled an altercation he had with Ivins when she suggested the chamber take over business licensing.

"We had some differences straight out and I strongly disagreed with her. I still respected her," Balloqui said.

The chamber has about 450 paid members, Selbach said.

Selbach said there's qualified applicants for the position in Pahrump. But he added, "It'll be nobody whatsoever in mind and we're going to take our time. It may take us three months to fill that position."

Ivins said, "The biggest concern, I think, is the budget because of the economy. It was probably a fiscally responsible thing at this point to consider.

"I would like to thank our membership for the support that they've given me. It has truly been a privilege and a pleasure to serve them and the community at large and that I wish the organization the very best as it moves forward."

Ivins indicated she will remain in Pahrump.