Living Jackson Magazine :: Jackson Chamber of Commerce

Three Tenets for Success

Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce "Means Business"

The vision of the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce’s leadership focuses on three main areas—small business, women in business and economic development.

Small business is the lifeblood of a community, the capillaries that bring the blood to the far reaches of a vibrant area. “One of the major programs we’ll be focusing on is creating more services and programs to support small businesses,” Shane Short, recently hired chamber president, said. “Many of our current members own small businesses and we’re going to give them added value. We’ll be reaching out to them to get them more involved.”

The chamber has already announced big plans for women in business. A date has been set for the first annual Women In Business banquet to present the “Businesswoman of the Year” award, which will take place next November.

Having always taken the lead in attracting new business and industry to Jackson County, the chamber will be hiring a vice president of economic development. “Our strong recruitment and retention programs for economic development have contributed to the county’s growth,” Short says. “We’re now at the stage for a dedicated position at the chamber to continue to expand our success, not only for existing industry but for those companies considering Jackson County for relocation.”

New Leadership, New Vision for Chamber of Commerce

Great things are on the horizon for the Jackson County Area Chamber of Commerce. Long-term visions are being converted to working plans that include a renewed focus on small business, recognition of the importance of women in business and the addition of a vice president for economic development.

“This is a very progressive county with a great deal to offer,” says Short, a real fireball with vast experience in all aspects of chamber management, government and communications. He came to Jackson County from Clayton County’s chamber of commerce and he’s worked in marketing, government and as an elected official. “Every career experience I’ve had has led me to be a chamber of commerce president, and I can think of no better place to be than here in Jackson County.”

Short has dubbed the area a “logistical paradise” because of its strategic location near I-85 with direct access to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. “The county’s strength lies in its leadership, its location and its great infrastructure.”

The Ideal Location for Business and Family

Jackson County has the best of all possible worlds. The growth has brought national attention to the area and the cooperation of officials with incoming business is renowned. Officials respond to the needs of business, supporting infrastructure improvements and working directly with businesses to improve their effectiveness.

But the environment of Jackson County goes beyond its pro-business approach.

“When my family and I were considering moving here, several things factored into our decision,” Short said. “I knew there was great support and a good partnership between the chamber and other entities, and the people here are extraordinary—friendly, open to new ideas and progressive. But even more to the point, this is a great place to raise a family. We couldn’t ask for a better place to live.”

Membership Vital to Chamber’s Effectiveness

With 540 business members, the Jackson County’s chamber of commerce has a broad reach into the community with a diverse blend of small businesses and larger industries.

“We rely on our members to get involved,” says Linda Foster, manager of member services. “There’s always room for more people to get involved on committees, volunteering at events and giving us feedback. The best way to get the most of your membership is to be involved.”

New Chamber Chairman Steve Schingler with Havertys’ eastern distribution center says the chamber’s new direction is very exciting.

“Shane was a great find to lead us into a new dimension and we’re already experiencing increased vitality in our membership,” Schingler says. “Now more than ever it’s a good time for members to become more active and supportive, both with their time and financially, because there are great things on the horizon for us.”

When Foster joined the chamber staff five years ago, membership numbers hovered around 250. “With the growth of the county and the cooperation of all nine municipalities here, we’ve doubled our membership,” she says, attributing the increase to a combination of more businesses coming into the county and the expansion of programs offered by the chamber.

One of the largest chamber-led events is the Taste of Jackson and Business Showcase, which takes place on the first Thursday of each November. This past year, 80 vendors were on hand and more than 1,000 people attended the event. “It’s always a great way to network and expose businesses to members of the community,” she says. Area restaurants offer samples as well.

Foster says that the annual awards banquet, which takes place at the end of January, is well attended. “We usually have 400-plus people at this event,” she says.

The chamber’s new board took the reins on Jan. 1. Steve Schingler of Havertys has taken over as chairman.

Striking a balance between existing businesses and attracting new industry can be a challenge, but Short said that the chamber is prepared to take care of its own as well as looking forward to more growth.

“We’re always looking for our next golden egg,” he says, “but we will not forget the basket full of golden eggs we already have.”