Tag Archive for: #micheleburgess

Michele Burgess Named George Watkins Citizen Of The Year

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Michele Eaves Burgess has been named the George Watkins Citizen of the Year by the Occoneechee Council of Boy Scouts of America.

Burgess officially received the honor at an awards ceremony Thursday in Henderson. This award is Scouting’s premier event and major fundraiser in Vance County, and honors extraordinary community leaders in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the quality of life in the Eno River District and who best exemplify the Scout Oath and Law, according to a press release issued by the Occoneechee Council.

“I am honored to be recognized by our community for my involvement and dedication to making Vance County a better place for our future leaders and today’s youth,” Burgess said in a prepared statement. “Being selected to receive this award, named for Mr. George R. Watkins, Sr., who I admire and have had the pleasure to work with for many years is very special to me. George and his family have set a positive example of how volunteerism and giving back makes such an impact.”

In presenting the award, Ronald Bennett, event chairman, praised Burgess for the energy and excitement she brought in her role as president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce. She recently retired but Bennett said Vance County and the surrounding communities are better places because of her efforts through the Chamber.

Burgess has led the Chamber three different times over the years. Tem Blackburn, who shared remarks Thursday evening, was on the interview committee that chose Burgess over others. Although she had less experience than those other candidates, there was something that clearly set her apart, he said.

“In the years that followed, whenever I needed help on a project for the Library, the YMCA, the public schools, anything of benefit to the community I called Michele and I always felt she was not only glad to help, but she was so glad I had called her and asked her to help,” he said.

Nancy Bobbitt also spoke about her friend and told those gathered that Burgess “has never faltered in her love and support of this community.” Through Burgess’s leadership over the years, the Chamber established Leadership Vance and Business After Hours, Bobbitt said. And Burgess was the first Chamber executive from Henderson to graduate and receive certification from the National Institute of Organizational Management.

“She always has a smile and good word for everyone she meets,” Bobbitt said. “She has a wealth of experience and ability to lead others to do their best to make Henderson and Vance County live up to its potential.”

Blackburn said Burgess has been working on behalf of Vance County and its residents to build community. It’s a lot of work, but Burgess has a way of approaching tasks that makes them a bit more enjoyable, Blackburn said.

“Speaking for myself, and for many others who have worked with Michele over the years, she has made it not only rewarding, but great fun!”

 

 

 

Town Talk 02/26/20: Cox, Burgess & Ellington Discuss Economy, Regional Summit

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Diane Cox, executive director of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, and Michele Burgess, president of the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Cox and Burgess discussed last week’s Focus 20/20, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments’ Economic Development Summit, held at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in downtown Henderson. Participants included local government representatives, community leaders, business owners and professionals from Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren and Person counties.

In response to Burgess thanking Kerr-Tar for hosting the summit, Cox responded, “It was a team effort. We were very fortunate to have not only our Kerr-Tar staff but also the economic development directors from the five counties that make up the Kerr-Tar region in addition to the five Chambers of Commerce, so it really was a collaborative effort.

With an agenda arranged into multiple “acts,” playing on the performing arts venue, discussions included the importance of investing in infrastructure, adapting with the times, advancing entrepreneurship and promoting workforce development.

Cox said the segment on workforce development as presented by Dawn Michelle Tucker, Dean of Continuing Education and College & Career Readiness at Vance-Granville Community College, particularly resonated with her.

“We know we have a workforce issue; workforce is an issue nation-wide. With the economy being as strong as it is now, having enough workers, especially skilled workers, is a big issue.

Working with VGCC, the Kerr-Tar Workforce Development Board and the school systems, we are actively trying to address the workforce issue.”

Burgess said President and CEO of NC IDEA Thom Ruhe’s presentation on changing the workforce mindset opened her eyes to the prevailing issue of employee disengagement and how negatively that affects community progress and development.

“He gave some of the following workplace statistics: 35 percent of the workforce is actively engaged – they show up every day, and put in work for the betterment of the company. Fifty-two percent of the workforce is not engaged at all. These are the employees he called ‘TGIF’ers’ (Thank God It’s Friday). Then there is 13 percent of the workforce actively disengaged, who actually cause problems when they show up for work.”

Burgess also discussed another takeaway from the summit, the importance of embracing and attracting young people to a community.

“The younger generation is looking at a community to see what’s there, to see if they have a fun downtown and apartments that cater to a younger mindset. So, they are picking the town, moving to the town and then finding a job. This is different from what we are used to, which is people moving here because of a job transfer.”

Explaining that the trend among the younger generation is to move to small towns close to larger cities with more cultural opportunities, Burgess said Henderson is “on the cusp of all that; we’ve got great potential here.”

On Tuesday’s edition of Town Talk, Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington discussed his participation and perspective of the summit, including the knowledge shared by keynote speaker Doug Griffiths, author of the bestselling book “13 Ways to Kill Your Community.”

Listing what not to do, as well as measures to right the path, Griffiths presented the following ways to ensure a lack of community growth and prosperity: don’t have quality water, don’t attract business, ignore your youth, deceive yourself about your real needs or values, shop elsewhere, don’t paint, don’t cooperate, live in the past, ignore your seniors, reject everything new, ignore outsiders, become complacent and don’t take responsibility.

“His discussion on failing to embrace people from the outside that have come into the community really stood out to me,” said Ellington. “People that have lived here and seen the ebbs and flows of the economy have a different view than people from the outside that come in, and that’s not a bad thing.”

Explaining that it takes both points of view to grow the economy, Ellington said he believes the positive attitude and commitment to community investment and improvement seen recently by those moving to Henderson can only lead to more positive outcomes for the area.

Please tune in to WIZS 100.1 FM/1450 AM tomorrow as guest Pam Hester, director of Vance County Tourism, wraps-up this week’s discussion on the local economy and the regional economic development summit.

To hear the interview with Cox and Burgess in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on the 02/26/20 Town Talk. For Ellington’s interview, click on the 02/25/20 Town Talk.

Town Talk (07/23/19): H-V Chamber Welcomes Familiar Face to President Role

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Michele Burgess, president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss her new position and vision for the organization.

Beginning her third term as the head of the chamber, Burgess’ first official day serving under the title of “president” was July 22, 2019. She previously served as executive director from 1982-88 and 1995-99.

Burgess succeeded Vanessa Jones, who served as interim president in the months following former president John Barnes’ resignation earlier this year.

In discussing her local connections, Burgess said she is excited the chamber’s board chose a Henderson native as their leader.

“I live in Vance County and I love Henderson,” Burgess said. “I love where I live. This is my hometown and I’m proud of it.”

For her first task, Burgess said she and chamber staff will be focusing on membership. “We are going to look at who is a member and who is not a member. We want to reach out to those who maybe couldn’t afford the membership dues when they first opened but are a little more established now and could benefit from our services.”

As far as current members, Burgess said she wants to introduce herself, or in some cases reintroduce herself, encourage continued community involvement and to set the tone for her “hands-on approach” to the chamber’s mission.

Burgess believes, much as she did in her previous chamber roles, that the key to growing the community is to think outside of the box and get creative with strategies to help small businesses. “A large majority of our members are small businesses with 50 or less, and many with 20 or less, employees,” she explained.

Acknowledging that attending popular chamber events such as Business After Hours, Meet Me in the Street and various networking sessions aren’t feasible for all business owners, Burgess said the question then becomes, “What can we do to help you?”

Some of the ways the chamber can help small businesses, according to Burgess, include offering relevant training for employees and advocating for their particular industry.

“We [the chamber] can do that,” Burgess reiterated. “We are an organization that serves businesses; it’s all about building businesses. The chamber is all about relationships.”

Further emphasizing the importance of relationships, Burgess explained the connections that are often made at H-V Chamber-sponsored events serve business leaders and their staff well in the future.

“You do business with people that you like and trust,” Burgess said. “The way to do this is to be involved in your community, and especially to be involved with your chamber.”

To hear Burgess’ Town Talk interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Burgess to Head HVCC Chamber

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100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce has tapped Michele Burgess to be president of the organization, effective July 22, 2019.

Burgess, a resident of Vance County, brings a wealth of experience to the position. She previously served as executive director of the chamber from 1982-88 and 1995-99.

“The chamber is key to opening doors to business growth and development in our community,” Burgess said. “I’ve always had a passion for making improvements to Henderson and Vance County, and I want to make a difference.”

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce has tapped Michele Burgess to be president of the organization, effective July 22, 2019. Burgess, a resident of Vance County, previously served as executive director of the chamber from 1982-88 and 1995-99. (Photo courtesy HV Chamber)

Burgess said she is excited to try new programs and “to build on a tradition of being an active and progressive chamber.”

Nancy Wykle, chairwoman of the board of directors and publisher of The Daily Dispatch, said Burgess is a unifier who will bring tremendous energy to the chamber. “Our board is excited about the ideas Michele brings and her level of engagement,” she said. “She knows this community and brings an infusion of positive energy, which will guide us in the right direction.”

Burgess said she is eager to work with the board to advance the chamber’s program of work, as well as to be engaged in the community. “We all need to support our community and be proud of it,” she said.

Wykle said Burgess’ knowledge of the community and her energy were key factors in her appointment. “Michele loves this community, has deep ties and has great ideas for how we can grow,” she said.

“There’s so much potential for how our chamber and community can move forward,” Burgess said.

Burgess succeeds Vanessa Jones, who has been serving as interim president.