The Northeast COMBAT board of directors has selected Gerry G. M. Palmer Jr. as executive director of the agency.

Palmer has operated a private career-counseling business for 15 years and before that worked for the state as a resource developer for adults and children. He has been elected three times to the Bangor City Council and was appointed Penobscot County treasurer by Gov. Angus King in 2000.

Northeast COMBAT has done consumer mediation, advocacy and education for 33 years. The organization was founded and had been directed by John Supranovich, who passed away earlier this summer.

Palmer has a long history with COMBAT, having served on the board of directors starting in the late 1970s and leading as board president in 1982-83.

Palmer will carry out programmatic and educational goals set by the board and will lead fundraising efforts and seek to build the individual and business membership base. He is also committed to continuing the weekly Consumer Forum column in the Bangor Daily News.

Palmer will provide leadership in the first Northeast COMBAT Benefit Golf Tournament to be held Aug. 26 at the Hermon Meadow Golf Course.

Edward Steltzer, president of the group’s board of directors, said, “Gerry Palmer is a known and respected community and business leader who will serve our agency well as we move forward to our 40th and 50th years of helping Maine consumers.”

Palmer, a Bangor native, is married to Susan H. Palmer, a nurse, and between them they have seven adult children.