2016 Jackson County Chamber Meeting

The annual Jackson County Chamber of Commerce meeting took place today. Hundreds of community members gathered to discuss how to keep Jackson County businesses growing.
Business is booming in Jackson County and the chamber of commerce will continue to build on the county’s existing businesses while adding new ones. This was one of the main points driven home by Lee Bond, the chamber’s new chairman of the board, at Tuesday’s meeting. As a Pascagoula native and Singing River Health System CEO, Jackson County is close to Bond’s heart. “A lot of great businesses, great industries in Jackson County and I’m just happy to maintain and build what we got here,” said Bond.
About 400 people were on hand to hear the chamber’s new leader and the farewell speech of the outgoing chairman of the board, LP Bradford, who referenced past accomplishments, like the county’s thriving industrial trade show and other networking opportunities for local businesses. Bond told the crowd he plans to keep the momentum going, especially when it comes to small businesses. “They’re the fabric of the community. They’re what keep people here.”
Along with awards to stars in the community, the chamber presented thousand dollar grants to small business owners in Jackson County. President of the Board Carla Todd said, “They’re a reflection on our entire community. Our past recipients have all followed through with what they planned to do with the funds.”
One of the items that Bond really stressed that is essential to keep Jackson County businesses growing is the importance of giving back. “I think we are very blessed to live in a community that is rooted in values and committed to serving each other.”
Bond tells News 25 he plans to build on some of the current programs like Leadership Jackson County and the summer learning series and create new ones to help business grow even more in Jackson County.