Vanessa Jones, interim president for the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss how the Chamber has fared since the resignation of former president John Barnes in February.
“Things are going very well,” said Jones. “We have a great, well-trained staff that keeps operations moving along smoothly.”
The process of hiring the Chamber’s new president is well underway, according to Jones, with job applications and resumes due Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Jones estimated that the Chamber has received approximately 20 applications for the position thus far.
Acting as the Chamber’s Work First program coordinator since 2015, Jones previously served as chairwoman of the Chamber board during her tenure as dean and vice president at Vance-Granville Community College.
Her extensive knowledge of Chamber operations, coupled with the expertise of the Chamber’s membership director Jay Andrews and administration and events director Sandra Wilkerson, serve the Chamber business members well.
“Our goal is to promote and help our current members grow while attracting new members,” Jones said.
In this spirit of economic growth and development, Jones echoed the sentiment expressed by other community partners who have been interviewed by WIZS recently – it takes a village.
Jones acknowledged the close working relationship that the Chamber has with organizations such as the Vance County Tourism Development Authority, Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission, the City of Henderson, Vance County Government, Henderson-Vance County Economic Development Commission, Maria Parham Health, Vance-Granville Community College and many others.
“The Chamber works with these entities to ensure our community is an investment for new businesses and a great place for people to live and visit,” explained Jones.
In addition to working with businesses, the Chamber offers individuals an opportunity for community involvement via its ambassador program and annual Leadership Vance class.
Chamber ambassadors regularly network and connect with businesses and attend various Chamber events, such as ribbon cuttings, throughout the year.
Leadership Vance is an intensive, months-long training program that exposes participants to all aspects of the community, ultimately strengthening leadership skills and increasing knowledge of the inner workings of Vance County business.
Those interested in learning more about the Chamber and its various events and programs may call (252) 438-8414. Additional information may also be found on the Chamber’s website at www.hendersonvance.org.
To hear the Town Talk interview with Vanessa Jones in its entirety, click here.