POULSBO — Dan Barry, treasurer of the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce, will fill in as interim director after Marc Abshire resigned to become executive director of the Port Angeles Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“Poulsbo is currently experiencing historic growth and dynamic new economic opportunities,” Poulsbo chamber president Ingemar Anderson said in an announcement of the change. “The chamber board welcomes Dan as interim director and looks forward to continuing our work to renew, strengthen and build partnerships and community success in 2016.”

Abshire, who lives in Kingston, served as director of the Poulsbo chamber since October 2014. His hire in Port Angeles was announced Jan. 11 at that chamber’s luncheon. He succeeds Russ Veenema, who retired Dec. 30.

Abshire, 55, is a graduate of Port Townsend High School and the U.S. Air Force Academy. He earned a master’s degree from the University of Colorado. He was working at the Pentagon as a speechwriter for the Secretary of the Air Force during the terrorist attacks on 9/11. He retired in 2002 as a lieutenant colonel. He worked in corporate communications until 2013, and served as vice president of communications for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

He told the Peninsula Daily News he expects to start his new job by Feb. 1.

“For me, this is a huge return to home, and I’m so happy to be back,” Abshire told the Daily News. “Even though I went off and did these things, I never really left.”

In introducing Abshire to her membership, Port Angeles chamber president Sharon Thompson  said Abshire was one of eight candidatesand “it was just an easy choice to offer him the position.”

Meanwhile, the Greater Poulsbo Chamber of Commerce’s annual Gala & Awards Ceremony to honor local businesses, community leaders, and service organizations will take place at The Clearwater Casino Resort’s new event center on Jan. 16. Tickets are still available; call 360-779-4848.