North Las Vegas chamber chief leaving for post in Tucson

Michael Varney resigned as president and chief executive officer of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce on Thursday to take a position as the new president and CEO of the Tucson (Ariz.) Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce.

Varney leaves after only a year at the North Las Vegas Chamber position. He was hired in April 2010 and started the job on May 5, 2010.

Varney, who will begin work at his new job on or by June 6, will replace retiring longtime Tucson Chamber CEO Jack Camper, the North Las Vegas Chamber said.

Varney said after the announcement that an Ohio-based executive search firm contacted him about the Tucson chamber post.

"I didn't go looking I wasn't in the market," Varney said. "(The recruiter) called and made me aware of the position."

Initially, Varney said he was going to pass on the Tucson position, but reconsidered at Camper's behest.

During Varney's tenure in North Las Vegas, he started and expanded numerous committees to get chamber members more connected to the valley, including economic stimulus, small- business advisement, military affairs and government affairs committees.