The last time Glenn Thornton was heading up a Hunter business chamber was almost two decades ago.
While the region has changed dramatically in that time, the new Business Hunter president told the annual general meeting the fundamentals of the organisation remained the same: "achieving even greater outcomes for the Hunter".
Mr Thornton previously served as the CEO of the Hunter Business Chamber - the Business Hunter's former iteration - from 2001 to 2006.
Back then, the big talking points were removing the Newcastle light rail to open the city up to the harbour and building the Hunter Expressway to link the lower Hunter.
"No one thinks about walking from the CBD to the foreshore now, or zipping up the expressway, but they were things that were driving the big infrastructure debates at the time," Mr Thornton said.
Now the topic on everyone's mind was the nation's shift to clean energy and the influence it would have on the Hunter economy.
"Coal is still a big part of what we do and will be for a while, but at some point the economy is going to [change].
"The clean energy precinct at the port is a good example of something we'll look back on 20 years from now. There are huge opportunities there."
Mr Thornton said there was one conversation that had remained constant in the past two decades.
"One thing that hasn't changed though is how the region deals with growth," he said.
"With a strong and diverse board in place, we are well-positioned to tackle key issues such as energy transition, regional infrastructure, and workforce development."
Mr Thornton takes over from outgoing president Lauren Eyles, who thanked her fellow board members for their support over the last two years.
During her time at the helm, the organisation's advocacy led to significant wins, including hosting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NSW Premier Chris Minns and advanced projects at the Port of Newcastle and Newcastle Airport.
"From supporting our businesses through challenging economic conditions, returning the organisation to surplus post-COVID, growing our membership base, and strengthening our reserves, we are well positioned to continue to advocate strongly for the long-term prosperity of our region," she said.
Three new members will join the Business Hunter board for a term of two years, including Newcastle Coal Infrastructure CEO Aaron Johansen, the Business Centre CEO Steve Wait and Lake Macquarie Business director Michael Huggett.
