Vice Chairman
Bill Brown - Brown & Wood Pontiac-Cadillac-Buick-GMC
Community Unity
Rhonda Jordan - City of Greenville
Community Safety
B.J. Whitley - Manpower
Leadership Institute
Michele Miller - Pitt County Memorial Hospital
Power Luncheons
Dan Nichols - SCA Collections
The Chamber hosted a Wine & Cheese Reception on March 7, to celebrate the ECU Centennial and the completion of the Fleming House renovation. Many of the Fleming House Renovation sponsors were in attendance and recognized at the event.
The Community Leaders Breakfast was held on March 8, in honor of the 100th anniversary of the founding of ECU. The General Assembly was invited and several members attended.
The Governmental Affairs Group was organized in August to focus on monitoring local and state issues affecting community and business. The General Assembly passed legislation which allowed Pitt County to hold a referendum for a proposed quarter-cent sales tax. The Chamber was an integral part of the team effort, along with county and educational leaders, to ensure the referendum’s passage. The Sales Tax Advocacy Committee (STAC), which had been working on this issue for three years, transformed to a citizen advocacy group. The Citizens for Education Construction (CFEC) met on a weekly basis and mounted a successful campaign which led to the passing of the referendum with 59 percent of the vote on November 6, 2007.
The State Chamber (formerly NCCBI) implemented a new federation which allows Greenville-Pitt County Chamber members to have a membership in the state chamber at no charge. About the Federation: The NC chamber Federation is a grassroots advocacy partnership for businesses in North Carolina with 10 or fewer employees who are members of their local chambers. Its purpose is to empower businesses and engage them in political action to increase their collective power in the state legislature. Our Chamber is also a member of the U.S. Chamber Federation, allowing membership opportunities to all Greenville-Pitt County Chamber members at no cost.
The Chamber, Greenville Police Department and SmartHomes by Security Alert sponsored a “Breakfast on Crime” on November 29. Chief William Anderson provided factual insight regarding the recent incidents in the area. Law enforcement officials offered crime prevention techniques and strategies for the 100 business owners and managers in attendance.
The “Power 2007” luncheon series was held on the third Tuesday of each month to keep members informed on important issues. Featured speakers included Dr. Steven Ballard, East Carolina University Chancellor, The Honorable Don Parrott, Mayor of Greenville; and The Honorable Beverly Perdue, Lt. Governor of the State of North Carolina.
The annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner was held on May 15, with 180 Pitt County Law Enforcement Officers and sponsors attending. Lt. Earl Phipps, Greenville Police Department, was named the Officer of the Year. The annual Fire/Rescue Appreciation Dinner was held on October 16. Donnie Hardee, EMS Specialist, was recognized as the Fire/Rescue Employee of the Year. Both events were organized by the Chamber’s Community Safety Committee.
The Chamber worked with the Eastern Region to continue providing leadership for the Chambers of Commerce of North Carolina’s Eastern Region (NCER). The purpose of the group is to strengthen the coalition of eastern Chambers, business and elected officials. NCER, under the leadership of President Al Delia, completed its position paper with the inclusion of the ECU Dental School.
The Community Unity Breakfast was held on January 15, to promote positive race relations. The speaker was Dr. Kenneth Hammond, pastor of Union Baptist Church in Durham.
The Leadership Institute program developed the future leaders of Greenville-Pitt County. The 25th Leadership Institute class was held January – June, 2007, with 23 participants.
