The Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce has been around a long time and in that time its had a significant impact on the community.
What is a Chamber of Commerce? What it its role in the community?
“The Chamber of Commerce is here to support the business community. From providing networking events, helping our members advertise, to offering opportunities to give back, we’re here to encourage our local businesses to work together for the betterment of our town,” said Paige McKinney, Executive Directory for the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce.
Immediate Past President for the Chamber, Tony Long, has found the Chamber serves the community the most in the way it is able to bring people together, often people who would not otherwise have had the chance to meet.
The Chamber hasn’t always been the Chamber though, it started in the late 1960’s as a small group of Mint Hill business owners, which eventually became known as the Mint Hill Business Association, with Jack Bryan leading the way. A number of those founding members are still part of the chamber today, and the first check was signed by the late Tina Ross.
During the 1997-98 fiscal year, the association decided that being chartered as a chamber rather than an association would bring more credibility to the chamber and to the Town of Mint Hill.
Long has been a member of the chamber for 22 years and served two terms as president.
“I love being part of the Chamber, for the past 50 or so years, it has brought people together who wouldn’t have otherwise met,” he said. “I think that’s especially valuable for business owners as that can be a lonely role and helping our local businesses to work together makes our community stronger.”
Today the Mint Hill Chamber is about 250 members strong with Joy Greear, President of Novant’s Mint Hill Medical Center, serving as President.
“I’d like to recognize and congratulate the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce! We have an outstanding board of directors and an executive director who represent many small and large businesses in the Mint Hill and surrounding communities. They volunteer so much of their time to seek ways to continually bring together business owners and the local community members to network and partner in family-fun events, business development and growth, fundraisers, and volunteer/donation opportunities that exemplify the best of what Mint Hill has to offer.” Greear said.
There’s a lot going on at the Chamber recently as it continues to grow.
“The Chamber has experienced tremendous change this year: new location, new fundraisers, expanded ambassador programs, and a new assistant,” said Greear. “We implemented a new process for nominating and presenting potential board members to the board of directors; we organized the scope for a business growth panel, and we outlined a new process for succession planning for leadership.”
With all of this positive growth and change at the Chamber, it seems the organization continues to embody its mission to promote and collaborate with businesses to cultivate a growing and connected community.
“The Chamber will continue to find ways to partner with the Town on common initiatives, support events, and promote local businesses,” Greear said. “We will continue to pursue new technology and resources to help us grow efficiency in membership management, website updates, and system functionality to improve operational logistics.”
Moving into the future, McKinney, likes to keep the Chamber’s vision statement in mind, the vision of the Mint Hill Chamber of Commerce is to be the influential organization to showcase members and attract new businesses to stimulate future growth and prosperity.
“I love my role in the Chamber because I have the opportunity to encourage business leaders to connect with other business leaders to grow their business so they can do great things together,” McKinney said.
“Myself, our board of directors and our ambassadors are grateful to be part of such a wonderful town,” she added. “The Chamber looks forward to continuing to serve the business community and the people of Mint Hill.”
