AMERICUS — The Sumter County Chamber of Commerce announces that Carolyn Wright will move forward into the role of interim president for the Chamber. Wright will focus on the Chamber’s membership growth, advancing the four divisions of the Chamber, and searching for a permanent president to lead the organization.
Since coming to the Sumter County Chamber this year as a consultant, Wright has begun renewed focus on Chamber membership growth and bringing value back to the heart of the organization. Under her  leadership, and in partnership with the board of directors in the coming year, she will enhance services to the members of the organization and grow the programs and outreach of the Chamber.
With Wright serving in a full-time capacity, Barbara Grogan will serve full-time in the role as executive director of the Sumter County Development Authority.
Rhett Simmons, chairman of the Sumter County Chamber, said, “Carolyn Wright is a 27-year veteran as president and CEO of Chambers of Commerce in Georgia and Texas, and has demonstrated excellence and expertise in growing Chambers in both small, rural areas as well as larger, urban markets in North Georgia and in Houston, Texas. We are fortunate to have Carolyn serve our community, and help guide us into a new era of success, growth and energy for our business community. She has already helped us refocus on the importance of providing value back to our membership, and we are looking forward to learning more from her leadership and experience. We really think she can help take us to the next level,” Simmons shared.
“Sometimes getting back to the heart of your purpose, which is to serve your members and provide value to the business community, is the hardest thing for a Chamber to ‘remember’ to do,” Wright says. “It’s all too frequent that Chambers become so focused on the programs and events they offer, that providing that core service and leadership for the business community becomes minimized in the scope of running the Chamber as what it is — a business organization. I’m very happy to be working in a community that understands this importance, and is willing to invest its time, energy and resources in strengthening its most important asset, its members.”
For more information contact Carolyn Wright at 229.924.2646; or at  cwright@sumtercountychamber.com.