CLEMSON — The chairman of a seven-person committee seeking a successor for retiring Clemson Area Chamber of Commerce President Eddie Nail is pleased with how the search is progressing.

“The pool of applicants, just from our local search and the State Chamber of Commerce, is better than we expected,” said Rob Green, adding, “Our target is to have the new individual in place and operating by the end of August.”

In addition to Green, committee members are Nancy Bennett, Bill Caruthers, Jeremy Wright, Will Gregory, Greg Scarborough and Linda Cowart. Green said he is pleased that candidates who have applied possess both quality and experience.

“Obviously, Clemson is a very desirable place to be,” he said.

Nail, who has led the Chamber since 1999, announced his retirement earlier this month. Monday will mark his final day on the job.

Green said earlier this month that the committee planned to strategically target ads to the Southeast in order to seek candidates familiar with the Clemson area and with the city of Clemson’s relationship with Clemson University. He said Wednesday that leadership experience would be an important factor, even if it didn’t come from a previous chamber position.

Though much of the Chamber’s attention is focused on Clemsonfest 2008, which will take place next Thursday at the Foothills Area Family YMCA, Green said the day-to-day administrative and clerical operations of the chamber would proceed smoothly through existing staff members.

“We have a very capable staff now,” Green said.