Rebecca Martin has been selected as president and CEO of the Federal Way Chamber of Commerce, officials announced on Thursday.

Martin is a certified Chamber professional with experience in economic development, tourism, small business, education, as well as membership organizations and public sector entities. She is one of only 6 percent of Chamber executives in the U.S. with the CCE designation from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives. She will be relocating from Pennsylvania to assume the new position on May 1.

“We are pleased to welcome Rebecca to our business community,” said Dan Shea, chairman of the board of directors, noting the search committee did an exhaustive review of candidates. “The search committee conducted an exhaustive review of candidates to ensure we had a professional leader to support the steady growth of opportunity for our membership. It was an outstanding group of candidates and Becca clearly emerged as the top choice.”

“Rebecca not only has a rich and varied background that will be benefit our business community, she also brings a deep passion for how  the Chamber can help communities be successful. I think the community will find her enthusiasm infectious,” said Chamber board chair Dan Shea. “As we look to 2013 and beyond, the business leaders in our membership continue to enhance the region as a business destination. We anticipate a range of exciting developments with the enthusiasm for the Chamber Becca brings to the table as our new CEO.”

Within the Chamber of Commerce industry, Martin served as president and CEO of the Pittsburgh North Regional Chamber.

Previously, she was a senior vice president in the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and president and CEO of the Ludington and Scottville Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau in Michigan, overseeing the vision and implementation of programs for business and tourism development.

Martin was vice president of the Chamber Division of the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, the lead economic development agency in Erie, Pa. focused on community development and business attraction, retention and expansion.

Martin also was a Trustee of the Erie Rotary Club’s Scholarship Foundation Board, serving as the foundation’s president, 2000-02.

“My children live here, I love the Northwest, and I am excited about the opportunities here,” Martin said.

She added, “I look forward to working with our small business community as well as building Federal Way’s position within the region as we seek to recruit new jobs to our community.”

She earned her MA from Gannon University in 1999 and her BA, magna cum laude, from Mercyhurst College in 1983. In addition to her CCE designation, Martin also holds the industry designation of IOM, having completed the program for Institutional Organizational Management offered by the United States Chamber of Commerce.

For information on joining the Federal Way Chamber, call (253) 838-2605 or visit the Chamber online at www.federalwaychamber.com.