The N.C. Chamber named Gary Salamido as the organization’s next CEO and president in a press release Thursday.

Salamido will assume both roles after serving as chief operating officer and acting president of the chamber since 2018. The CEO position has been vacant since longtime leader Lew Ebert stepped down to pursue other opportunities in November.

Prior to joining the N.C. Chamber in 2011, Salamido spent 19 years at GlaxoSmithKline, including 10 years as GSK’s director of state government affairs.

The chamber is a state affiliate of the United States Chamber of Commerce and works to promote business interests in North Carolina.

N.C. Chamber chairman Tom Heiks praised Salamido’s leadership abilities.

“He has done an excellent job steering this organization over the last several months and I am excited to see him continue to harness opportunity for our state’s business community,” Heiks said.