FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 2, 2007
Contact Information:
Roy Stowe
Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce
706-335-1102
Tim Chason
The Chason Group, Inc.
404-735-0540

Jackson County Area Chamber Begins Search For
Vice President of Economic Development

The leadership of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce has initiated plans to employ a professional to lead the economic development efforts for the community. The business organization has recently hired a new president and the addition of a vice president is the second phase of their restructuring plan.

“The business and government leaders here in Jackson County have made it clear they want to be known as a leader in economic development in the southeast,” according Shane Short, the new president of the chamber. “With the support of the chamber board, I am putting the search process in motion this week. Our goal is to have a professional economic developer join our team during the first quarter of 2008.”

Business and government leaders ranked economic development as a hire priority for the chamber in a survey completed during the summer months. As a part of the restructured chamber, the president will spend most of his time focusing on “big picture agenda items” while the vice president of economic development focuses on prospect development, project management, marketing and product development. Building relationships with existing businesses in the area will be a top priority for both the president and vice president.

Roy Stowe, Vice President for Marketing and Member Relations, has been named chair of the search committee for a vice president of economic development. In 2007, he has led the efforts to form an Economic Development Council for the chamber. Members of the EDC include the mayors of Commerce, Jefferson and Braselton as well as the chair of the county commission. Other members include the chairs of the three local school boards, chair of the industrial development authority and chair of the county’s water and sewer authority.

“The board of directors of the chamber began to focus on building stronger relationships with elected leaders during the first quarter of this year,” according to Stowe. “Our number one goal is to involve the EDC members in the economic development process. Creating jobs and expanding the local tax base through the recruitment of new businesses and retaining our existing employment base are crucial to the success of Jackson County. These elected leaders are now at the table working as strategic partners with the business community.”

Stakeholder interviews will be conducted over the next month with key players that have an impact on economic development in the area. Some of those individuals will include statewide economic development professionals, private developers, existing businesses and local governments.

The Chason Group, a consulting firm focusing on executive searches and strategic planning for chambers of commerce and economic development organizations, is assisting the committee in the process.

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The Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit, volunteer business organization that serves as the voice of the business community of the Jackson County area.  The members of the Chamber of Commerce address a range of issues on a daily basis in an effort to enhance the quality of life and business opportunities available to the citizens of this region of Georgia.  This is done in collaboration with government leaders from Jackson County, its nine municipalities, the State of Georgia and the federal government.  Through economic development, education, governmental relations and the delivery of member services, the Chamber strives to accomplish its goal of developing leaders and building a community with a high quality of life and opportunities for the future.