Founded in 1958, the Mountain Lakes Chamber is a nonprofit, private 501(c)(6) organization that promotes and protects the interest of the business community in Jackson County. The Chamber’s membership includes more than 500 local businesses and industries.
To promote harmony and stimulate county-wide economic growth. With a goal to improve the quality of life, enhance communications between workforce & education, we strive for a positive partnership with all Jackson County citizens.
Mission: Be a conduit between business and industry and community partners to convey workforce and talent development needs and to provide solutions for those challenges in five specific initiative areas.
Pipeline of Potential Workers (Prepared for Work, Skilled, Trained, Certified)
• Collaborate and partner with educators, business & industry and community leadership to develop and implement educational/workforce programs in Jackson County
Plant Managers Group
• Collaborate and partner with countywide plant managers or delegates to understand the local immediate and long- term training and leadership development needs for our manufacturing facilities and other businesses in Jackson County, and to develop a low-cost plan to address these concerns
Business & Industry Customer Needs
• Provide solutions for business or industry’s specific needs through the production of specialized training, videos, events, projects and access to workforce resources
Pre-K-12 Educational & Post-Secondary Workforce Programs
• Collaborate and partner with educators, business & industry to develop and implement educational/ workforce, STEM, soft skills, internships, co-ops, work based learning programs, mentorships, apprenticeships and programs in Pre-K – 12 grades and postsecondary to enhance career pathways
• Support Governor Ivey’s Strong Start – Strong Finish program
Vice-Chair: Terry Couch, Johns Manville
Mission: Execute efforts to help small business grow and thrive; grow jobs from our existing retail and commercial businesses; and recruit targeted new retail and commercial business.
Small Business Assistance and Development • Develop a Small Business task team to understand and create strategies to better promote and support small business • Provide no-cost mentoring, low-cost programming and training to business owners in areas of need: accounting, marketing and human resources • Develop and support a small business Buy Local initiative • Promote and enhance opportunities for growth of the 13 municipalities in Jackson County • Support and grow the young professional “Mountain Movers” organization
Existing Business/Retail Growth & Retention • Provide no-cost mentoring, low-cost programming and training to business owners in areas of need: accounting, marketing and human resources • In partnership with the Chamber’s Workforce efforts, gather data on staffing and workforce needs to better fill staffing pipelines • Develop programs and provide staff training
“Smart Growth” Business/Retail Recruitment • Identify next level retail targets for proactive recruitment and continued smart growth countywide • Partner with Jackson County Commission and local municipalities in order to identify, develop and deliver on incentive packages to increase the recruitment success rate • Be a proactive partner with the Jackson County Economic Development Authority and assist in its industrial recruitment efforts as needed
Small Business Assistance and Development • Small Business task team in place 1st quarter 2022 • Develop and implement quarterly no-cost mentoring, low- cost programming and training to business owners • An annual small business Buy Local campaign
Existing Business/Retail Growth & Retention • Develop and implement quarterly no-cost mentoring, low- cost programming and training to business owners • In partnership with the Chamber’s Workforce efforts, execute program to fill workforce pipeline needs placing 10 employees per quarter • Develop programs and provide quarterly staff trainings to train 15-20 employees per quarter
“Smart Growth” Business/Retail Recruitment • Recruit 3 next level retail businesses in partnership with our retail recruiter by year end 2022 • Encourage reasonable incentive packages with community partners
Co-Vice-Chair: Vickie Sanders & Vicki Watts, Scottsboro Electric Power Board
Mission: Serve as the lead advocate for Jackson County to promote and influence public policy that represents the best interest of our business community and supports business growth at the local, state and federal levels.
• Through a renewed Investor Relations program, immediately begin to track, log and advocate for positive and against negative public policy issues facing investors, members and the broader business community • Create and promote an annual pro-business local, state, and federal legislative agenda based on local input from Jackson County business leaders and community partners • Plan, organize and conduct semi-annual meetings with elected officials and county-wide stakeholders in order to gather critical information on issues impacting existing business growth and the recruitment of new business • Partner with the Jackson County Commission on county strategic planning • Partner with the City of Scottsboro on city strategic planning • Partner with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and Jackson County Economic Development Authority to support and sponsor Jackson County Leadership programs
Collect data for both pro and anti-business legislation in order to prioritize and create a proactive legislative agenda • Update the local, state and federal legislative agenda – Complete 1st quarter 2022 and ongoing each year • Renewed “post COVID-19” Chamber-led visits to Montgomery and Washington, D.C. in order to prioritize and promote pro-business legislation that directly impacts our businesses in Jackson County • Conduct semi-annual meetings with elected officials to inform and discuss issues impacting our businesses – begin 1st quarter 2022
Vice-Chair: Dylan Smith, Yellowhammer News
Mission: Drive county-wide economic impact, relocation and continued growth through the marketing and promotion of the lifestyle, recreation and tourism opportunities throughout the 1127 square miles that make up Jackson County including the 69,000 acres of water and 80,000 acres of public land as a means to establish Jackson County as a premier destination to visit, live, work and play.
• In partnership with other County stakeholders, hire a new qualified and experienced Director of Tourism • Partner with the Jackson County Commission, the City of Scottsboro, other municipalities and other countywide stakeholders in the development of a comprehensive Communications and Marketing Campaign to include: — A comprehensive local, regional and national marketing program — Continued promotion and support of fishing tournaments — Support all municipalities in creating individual tourism and destination marketing pieces as part of the larger Tourism Plan — Emphasize promotion and securing of regional sporting events — Partnerships with other regional, statewide and national tourism organizations • Partner with the Jackson County Commission on county strategic planning • Partner with the City of Scottsboro on city strategic planning • In partnership with the Chamber’s Workforce efforts, gather hospitality industry data on staffing and workforce needs to better fill staffing pipelines • In collaboration with North Alabama and Jackson County stakeholders, partner to develop the Singing River Trail, North Alabama’s longest trail/greenway that will connect Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties • As a partner in the Tennessee RiverLine program, build a coalition with the cities of Scottsboro, Stevenson, Bridgeport, town of Langston, and Jackson County Commission to create a continuous, multi-modal system of trail experiences along the Tennessee River
Hire the new Director of Tourism by 2nd quarter 2022 • New Destination Marketing & Tourism Plan completed 4th quarter 2022 • In partnership with the Chamber’s Workforce efforts, execute program to fill hospitality industry workforce pipeline needs placing 5 employees per quarter • Create an economic and community development plan for the Singing River Trail of North Alabama to maximize active-living opportunities and spur further economic development for the region by the 4th quarter of 2022 • Developed a countywide Tennessee RiverLine leadership team in the 4th quarter of 2021
Vice-Chair: Jennifer Kritner, Unclaimed Baggage Center
Mission: Manage all aspects of the Chamber’s communications through the development of written, verbal and visual content that best promotes the brand, activity and accomplishments of the Chamber to investors, membership and the broader community. Promote Jackson County regionally and nationally to establish the County as a premier destination to visit, live, work and play.
• Develop a comprehensive MLCC Communications Plan to include: — Specific Innovate Jackson County, Power of Partnerships Investor Relations Program — Ensure that all Chamber communication is on-brand and consistent — Utilize all channels of communications needed to optimize outreach — Develop and manage an annual internal and external master calendar of events, meetings and regular communication updates in order to ensure the seamless flow of timely, impactful and relevant content • Partner with the Jackson County Commission, the City of Scottsboro, other municipalities and other countywide stakeholders in the development of a comprehensive Communications and Marketing Campaign to include a local, regional and national communications & marketing program
Complete comprehensive Communications and Marketing Plan • Conduct regular one-on-one investor relations meetings • Host semi-annual investor relations receptions and gatherings to provide updates and high-level networking amongst investors • Host annual Investor Reception as part of the MLCC Annual Meeting
Vice Chair: Jared Dovers, WordSouth
To instill the positive aspects of our diverse business community to help promote member retention and continuous growth in our Chamber membership and community as a whole.
