Zionsville resident Mike Hanlon began his role as executive director of the Zionsville Chamber of Commerce on June 5.

In his first two months in the role, Hanlon has focused on building a presence in the community and working extensively with outreach.

“Establishing my presence in the community, as well as the Chamber’s, has been my main goal in the past 60 days,” Hanlon said. “I want the Chamber and myself to serve as a main resource for the business community, members and nonmembers alike.”

As part of his vision, Hanlon wants the Chamber to become involved in more events and collaborations with the startup community in Zionsville, including businesses like CoHatch and zWORKS.

“Collaborations with the startup community allows for more entrepreneurial investments and help the Chamber support the technology and incubator establishments in town,” Hanlon said.

Hanlon would also like to focus on member engagement and opportunities for businesses in the area that are not along Main Street.

“With nearly 500 Chamber members, I want them to get as much value for their membership as possible,” Hanlon said. “We traditionally focus on the businesses along Main Street, but we want to offer more opportunities for other businesses near Corporate Park, Creekside and so on.”

Hanlon moved to Zionsville with his wife and children 15 years ago. He served as the executive director of USO Indiana, a nonprofit that helps Indiana’s military service members stay connected to family, home and country throughout their service.

“My past work with USO is helpful to my new position because it taught me how to balance important relationships and take initiative,” Hanlon said.

While at USO Indiana, Hanlon worked on event management and fundraising projects, such as golf outings and galas. He said the experience will allow him to bring new ideas to Zionsville events like the Street Dance and Brick Street Market.

“I know how to work with a team to strengthen and make impactful decisions for the business community,” Hanlon said. “I work daily with business owners and board members to create a unified voice and navigate difficult situations.”

Hanlon said he hopes to continue to create a community perceived as welcoming by the surrounding counties.