Chamber hires Sampson native as new director

The Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce had a vacancy at its executive director position and one person, Kiley Jones, practically grew up wanting the job.

The Sampson County native began her post in May. She went to school at Meredith College for four years, but she knew she wanted Sampson to be her home. She studied Business Administration with a concentration in Human Resource Management, and double minored in Accounting and Finance.

“Growing up, it was a joke between my family and me that I would one day be the executive director at the Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce,” the Harrells Christian Academy graduate stated. “I am very outgoing, I love to meet new people, and I have always planned to stay in Sampson County, so this was the job that was perfect for me.”

Jones graduated in May from Meredith College and she stated that “job opportunities were pretty much non-existent.” Once the executive director position for the Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce became available several people in the community contacted Jones and encouraged her to apply — and she did.

“It was like the perfect job was lining up for me at the perfect time,” Jones remarked. “The executive directors have been known for going out in the community, networking with different people, and assisting with economic development. All of those tasks excited me, so I really was excited about the opportunity.”

The new executive director wants to help the Chamber thrive with larger membership numbers and more community involvement. She also wants the organization to serve as an economic development resource, the same mission the board would like to see fulfilled.

She hopes to get the Ambassadors Program back up and running. Plus, there are some programs that Jones is interested in starting. But for now, she plans to focus on improving the existing programs within the Chamber.

“There are so many committees and groups that I am submerging myself into so that I do not overlook anything that already exists,” Jones commented. “The previous executive directors have done an amazing job at organizing different programs, so I am excited to utilize what is already established first.”

Currently, Jones is working with a task force called Sampson Strong Together. Their mission focuses on economic development for local businesses. According to the new executive director, the committee was originally built to help businesses navigate COVID-19 regulations and restrictions. The Chamber developed a new website to help businesses through the pandemic.

“Sampson Strong Together is a campaign that will land in the hands of the Chamber in the near future,” Jones added. “Together, the committee agreed that the Chamber would be a ‘good house’ for the Sampson Strong Together campaign because we have the resources to keep it going even after the pandemic is over.”

The plan for the campaign is to increase foot traffic to local businesses by offering advertisements. They can place advertisements on social media, through their commercials on local channels, as well as on signs around the county.

Jones noted that no day at her position looks the same, but she has enjoyed her job thus far. She has taken the chance to learn as much as she can and get out in the community as much as possible. Jones has spent the past eight weeks meeting new business owners, sitting in on Zoom calls, participating in webinars and communicating with other Chamber members.

Jones sees herself at the Chamber for years to come.

“I wanted to use my college degree to be able to serve the Sampson County area, so this position is great for me,” the Meredith graduate noted. “This is exactly the type of position I wanted, so I consider myself lucky that it was available.”

The new executive director is excited about the communication part of her job. Her goal is to be a liaison between the members, the Chamber committees and the Board of Directors.

“I think the Chamber is a great place for people to network and to get to know each other, so I would love to see that growth,” Jones added.

Jones’ main responsibilities are organizing committee meetings, checking in with members, and general office duties. Her main focus is on the members’ needs.

“When I went off to college I thought the big city was going to be a lifestyle I enjoyed, but the big city made me realize that Sampson County has hidden assets too,” Jones expressed. “We do not have Starbucks, but we have small coffee shops where the barista knows my name, and we do not have a shopping mall, but we have local shops that tailor to my style. Often times people overlook the value of a small town, but I love shopping and being local where the people know me.”

Jones believes she is good for the job because she is a local and she knows the area. She had a large established network in Sampson before she had the job, so she believes the transition into the position will be smooth.