April Cameron named new CEO of Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce
The Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center has announced April Cameron as the organizations new chief executive officer.
Cameron is originally from Metter, Georgia and attended Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, where she completed an undergraduate degree in communication arts. She's been living in South Carolina for the past 17 years, and said she has been anticipating the day where she can move back to the south Georgia area.
"I'm really excited about the opportunity to work at the chamber," Cameron said. "I really enjoy economic development, recruiting businesses, promoting businesses, really enjoy that part of what this job is going to entail, and the tourism arm of the job as well."
Cameron joined the nonprofit sector in 2011, working for Meals on Wheels in community relations. She became the director of Strategic Markets at United Way in Anderson County, South Carolina due to her experience in fundraising, promotional initiatives and special events.
In 2018, she became the executive director of the Anderson Arts Center where she led operations and provided the vision for a 33,000-square-foot member-driven arts center with three galleries, two classrooms and a pottery studio.
Municipal elections: Are you registered to vote? Do you know what precinct you live in?
'This is a very big moment for the city:' Public transportation coming to Port Wentworth
"This is really exciting not only just for our organization but, for Port Wentworth as a whole," said Board of Directors Chair Trisha Boyett. "To have someone in the president and CEO role that has a lot of experience and will be able to come in and really hit the ground running as she comes in. The board really feels like that Cameron is the perfect person for the position to move it forward."
The chamber serves small businesses and large corporations, and is the primary tourism and economic development organization for Port Wentworth.
Cameron's appointment comes after a few difficult years for the chamber of commerce. About three years ago, Port Wentworth City Council decided they were going to quit funding tourism activities for the city, so the chamber stopped receiving funding. The city held on to the reserve funds for a couple of years, according to Boyett.
“This was the time we were coming out of COVID so businesses and the tourism community were struggling to keep their doors open. The fact that the city administration of that time did not support these businesses or the Chamber of Commerce, was crushing”.
Boyett said the chamber never shut down, but the board of directors wanted to make sure that everything was back up and running properly before bringing on the right person to lead the chamber into the next decade.
"Since we have a new council and a new city manager it has been nothing but positive moving forward," Boyett said.
Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Chatham County municipalities for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at dambus@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Port Wentworth Chamber of Commerce appoints new CEO
