The Greater Area Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce announce Monday the hiring of Frank Bernard, JD, as its new President, starting February 20th.
Frank is excited to be returning home. His ties to North Carolina stem from his native town Fayetteville, North Carolina, and his wife is a Kenly native. “I’m really excited about seeking opportunities to partner with business leaders in state and local government to expand our partnerships that will continue to move the towns of Smithfield and Selma forward,” he said.
He most recently held the position of Vice President, Operations Compliance and U.S. Ethics & Compliance for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., serving as the point of contact for operational compliance within the United States and Puerto Rico.
Corina Knott, 2017 Chamber Board Chair, shared the Board’s eagerness to support and work with Bernard. “The Chamber Board is excited to welcome Frank to the Smithfield-Selma area. We are more than confident that his energy and experience will serve to expand the Smithfield and Selma communities’ reach and economic potential.”
As an executive for the Fortune 500, Frank was responsible for translating the corporate vision into actionable and measurable strategies to drive performance and enhance program maturity.
These strategies include the compliance subject matter areas of Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Lottery, Weights and Measures, Employment and Licensing Compliance. In addition to these business areas, Frank was also responsible for Governance and Risk Management, Consumer Protection and Communications. Further, Frank lead a large field based Operations team that facilitated training for over one million stateside associates.
Frank is a respected and highly accomplished operations leader and compliance executive with a distinguished career of achievement in Operations, as the Regional General Manager for a nine billion dollar portfolio, as well as compliance leader in the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
He attended the US Air Force Academy (PLS) and holds a Bachelor of Science from North Carolina Central University, as well as a Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law. Frank is a strategic, conceptual decision-maker, possessing courage to make tough choices, accomplish goals, and lead change in complex environments and highly-matrixed organizations.
He replaces former Chamber President Rick Childrey who retired in December after 30 years of service.
