A former commercial and consumer banker with BancorpSouth has been chosen to lead the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce.
Joey Bragg was hired as the CLCC President, officials from the Golden Triangle Development LINK announced Wednesday. He officially began his duties Monday.
Before an organizational transition announced earlier this year that began Oct. 1, the chamber — whose primary focus is advocating for and improving existing local businesses — was a branch of the LINK, whose primary focus is job creation. The restructuring moves the chamber toward a near-autonomous entity, now only sharing a boss and bank account with the LINK. The change was made to better address the needs and missions of the LINK and CLCC.
Bragg’s focus will be rebranding CLCC as it transitions to near-independence from the LINK, said former chamber vice president and current LINK Vice President of External Affairs Macaulay Whitaker.
“I can teach anybody tactics and logistical information. I can train you on how to make the wheels of the chamber continue to turn,” Whitaker said. “What I can’t train anybody to do is to love their community and to be passionate about the place they live and work. That is a unique quality that Joey possesses that we were really looking for during our search. He is excited about the community and has a really vested interest in seeing it grow and prosper.”
LINK staff narrowed down a pool of applications to about 10 candidates who were interviewed, Whitaker said.
“Probably what made Joey stand out the most was his interest in the growth of small businesses here and his familiarity with those businesses,” Whitaker said. “His rapport with the community is already well established.”
Bragg said what he will do first as CLCC President will be to gain more familiarity with the estimated 500 business the chamber serves.
“My first goal is going to be to get out and meet some of these people, the ones that I’m not sure who they are or if they’re new to the area,” Bragg said. “I’m going to get out and at least introduce myself. I may know them and I may know their kids, but that doesn’t always mean that they know exactly who I am. I’m going to get my face out there and get everyone to know exactly who they’re dealing with.”
More than 5,000 community members are employed at the estimated 500 businesses affiliated with CLCC, according to LINK data.
Nathan Gregory covers city and county government for The Dispatch.
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