When Wilson Beck told his coworkers at Zachary’s Restaurant he had applied to be the new director of the Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, he didn’t expect the response he got.
Nine out of 10 times, Beck told Exchange Club of Columbus members at Thursday’s meeting at the Lion Hills Center, he was asked, “What’s the chamber of commerce? What does it do?”
Beck, the former general manager at Zachary’s, replaced Lisa James as chamber director in June, and he’s been trying to answer that question for the community since.
A chamber of commerce is a nonprofit association of businesses — the Columbus-Lowndes chamber has 475 members, making it the biggest such organization in the area — working together to advance themselves and the city around them, Beck explained to Exchange Club members Thursday.
But what it can do right now, he acknowledged, isn’t much. Business networking sessions — a staple of the chamber — are restricted to Zoom because of COVID-19; the only events the chamber can hold are ribbon cuttings because they’re outdoors and socially distanced. Beck said the pandemic has been the “giant elephant in the room” limiting what he can do for Columbus as chamber director.
“I have this huge arsenal of events that I’m supposed to be planning and coordinating … but that dang old elephant has stomped me out,” he said.
Recruiting, although difficult right now, has been one of the few things he has been able to do. The chamber has added 28 new members in 2020, Beck said.
Beck pointed out that despite COVID-19’s effect on the chamber, there are plenty of businesses in Columbus and Lowndes County who aren’t feeling the same effects.
“A lot of businesses aren’t suffering,” he said. “A lot of businesses are doing really, really well.”
But many are still struggling because of COVID-19, and Beck said he’s asked chamber members to submit any piece of advertising they have to him so he can use the chamber’s platform to give local businesses the exposure they need.
Members can advertise on the chamber’s newsletter as well as through its social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube.
“You can’t have a chamber without having a strong social media presence, and that is something that we do have,” Beck said. “That’s something that I inherited and that I’m very thankful for.”
Recently, Beck said, he even came up with an idea of hosting a TV show highlighting each chamber member. Drawing inspiration from Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” Beck said he’d like to highlight each business and its services and products, do some “silly stuff” to keep the audience engaged — Beck suggested donning a raincoat and walking through a car wash — and thank each business for being a chamber member. The videos would be edited by chamber staff and posted to social media.
“It’s fun, it’s informative and it serves as a networking opportunity for our members,” Beck said. “Will it work? I don’t know.
“You’ll never catch me not trying something,” he added. “It’s the way that I’m wired. The wheels are always spinning.”
Beck said he’s been that way ever since mowing yards and bussing tables as a teenager. Before starting at Zachary’s, he worked his way up to management at Harvey’s, dabbled in banking at BancorpSouth and worked in sales at Ashley Furniture.
“I began my work life wearing a blue collar, and that is something that I am very, very grateful for,” Beck said.
Consequently, Beck said, he hasn’t completed all the necessary trainings and seminars required for his new position. That’s still to come, he said, as he keeps helping Columbus businesses during a difficult time.
“My hands have been in the dirt of this community, and I will continue working hard,” Beck said.
Theo DeRosa reports on Mississippi State sports for The Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter at @Theo_DeRosa.
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