4 minute read
Community Partnership Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority
from January 2022
by Jodi Varnado
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The Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce has been serving Catoosa and surrounding areas for over ninety years, acting as an advocate and facilitator for the wellbeing of Catoosa’s community, including local business, workforce education, economic stability, and tourism. With the effects of the pandemic still lingering through our local economy, the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce has established a valuable partnership with Catoosa County’s Economic Development Authority to support community awareness and growth.
The Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, guided by President and CEO, Amy Jackson, is a membershipbased organization led by an elected Board of Directors who set the policies for the organization, and a professional staff who implement the Board of Directors’ objectives on a day-to-day basis. The Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce offers membership programs and networking events throughout the year, including Showcase Catoosa Business Expo. This annual event allows local businesses to network with the community. On December 7, 2021, seventy-five businesses were represented at the Business Expo, and five hundred individuals were in attendance.
Even amid a year of everchanging challenges, the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce has continued to grow. Forty-five new members, including new and existing businesses, joined the Chamber in 2021. The Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce has a 95%-member retention rate, totaling four hundred business members. “We have a very active Chamber,” said Jackson. This activity has encouraged Jackson to partner with the Catoosa County
Economic Development Authority’s Director, Keith Barclift. Together, the two have created a new connection for businesses to thrive.
Barclift has served as Economic Developer for the Catoosa County Economic Development Authority since 2019. He is a member of the Georgia Economic Developers Association, the Southern Economic Development Council, and the International Economic Developers Association. Barclift serves as an Ex Officio board member of the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, where he serves as the Chair of the Business Development Committee. Jackson and Barclift also serve on the College and Career Academy Board of Directors for Catoosa County. The Catoosa County Economic Development Authority works to bring new, quality jobs, investments, and increased sales tax revenue to the community. The Catoosa County Economic Development Authority also supports existing business and industry by providing education and assistance with state and local resources available for workforce development, training, incentive, and expansion.
Barclift’s primary goals are business recruitment and expansion. His partnership with Jackson has allowed him to provide economic development education to local businesses, potential industry partners, and community members. “I can keep a pulse on the business community and educate Chamber members on how they can benefit the community,” said Barclift. This collaboration has allowed the Catoosa Chamber of Commerce to share information with the Catoosa County Economic Development Authority and vice versa. A simple walk down The Colonnade’s hallway is all it takes for Jackson and Barclift to exchange ideas and plan the next community outreach event.
During the height of the pandemic, Jackson and Barclift created an online resource center, www.catoosa.info, to provide community members with available information about local businesses, including hours of operation and business closures. As the pandemic began to stabilize, the website has transitioned into a resource for Covid-19 testing and vaccine information. Jackson and Barclift have since created a Facebook group, Catoosa Connects, to extend their collective mission with the surrounding community, connecting people and local businesses, highlighting charitable needs in the community, and promoting local events and activities.
With a rise in business licenses and a strain on the labor force, strengthening Catoosa’s economic development is a critical area of focus for Barclift. “Now, more businesses are starting, growing, and expanding,” said Barclift. With the success of the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce’s Job Fair in April of 2021, Jackson and Barclift have already begun planning for 2022. This annual event allows Chamber and nonChamber members to be involved in creating a space for employment networking, even partnering with Catoosa County Schools to encourage seniors to get connected with local businesses. Jackson and Barclift have also started making plans for a Small Business Boot Camp to kick off in the first quarter of 2022, including educational resources for businesses to receive government funding.
With 80% of Catoosa’s 70,000 residents commuting to work every day, only 5,000 residents live and work in our community. In the new year, Barclift will work to bring awareness to existing businesses and coordinate more growth opportunities within Catoosa County. This will include more aggressive advertising and marketing, including trade shows, and collaborative educational services and seminars, ranging from topics of statutory tax credits to human resources.
“Communication between the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, businesses, and the Catoosa County Economic Development Authority is vital, and the community is better for it,” said Jackson. If your business is located in the Catoosa, Ringgold, Fort Oglethorpe, or Chattanooga area and you would like to get involved with the Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce, you can reach Amy Jackson at (706)-965-5201 or ajackson@ catoosachamberofcommerce.com. You can contact Keith Barclift at (706)-9651066 or Keith.Barclift@catoosa.com. If you are a community member and would like more information, you can visit www.catoosachamberofcommerce. com. The Catoosa County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Authority offices are located inside The Colonnade, at 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, GA 30736.
