Christy Gillenwater, President & CEO
Administration
Leads all Chamber efforts. Serves as primary interface with the Chamber Board. Directs senior management team.
Phone: 423.756.2121
Contact & Staff Directory
Chamber Administration
Provides administrative support to the President & CEO and the boards of both the Chamber and the Chamber Foundation. Also provides administrative coordination to the Chamber’s senior staff and Board of Directors.
Phone: 423.763.4351
Provides administrative support to the President & CEO and the top level investors for the Chamber and the Chamber Foundation.
Phone: 423.763.4351
Chamber Staff
Leads all efforts related to the delivery of member-investor value and benefits for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce including area councils, events, new member sales, member retention and a variety of programs.
Phone: 423.763.4346
Coordinates efforts to retain members and investors. Manages and supports Chamber Councils and the sales team. Oversees non-dues and revenue programs.
Phone: 423.763.4372
Account representative for new member sales.
Phone: 423.763.4331
Supports Chamber membership sales, programs, retention and events. Coordinates ribbon cuttings for Chamber members. Liaises with the Marketing team to coordinate marketing efforts of the membership department including events, website and membership materials. Coordinates marketing for major Chamber events through trade agreements with local TV and radio outlets.
Phone: 423.763.4376
Supports Chamber Councils. Assists with scheduling appointments, providing information to callers, maintaining records and files, coordinating meetings and providing a full range of support to the Membership Department.
Phone: 423.763.4376
Manages and coordinates all preparations and logistics related to events.
Manages Chamber Champions sponsorship program.
Phone: 423.763.4357
Responds to and routes in-bound calls from Chamber members and people seeking information about the Chattanooga area. Provides administrative support to various Chamber departments. Prepares and sends relocation packets.
Phone: 423.763.4320
Responds to and routes in-bound calls from Chamber members and people seeking information about the Chattanooga area. Provides administrative support to various Chamber departments. Prepares and sends relocation packets.
Phone: 423.763.4352
Responsible for development, implementation, maintenance, and support of the membership database and reporting initiatives.
Phone: 423.763.4383
Manages and coordinates all efforts related to economic development including business recruitment, existing business, and research. Serves as the Chamber’s primary business recruitment officer.
Phone: 423.763.4335
Leads Chamber’s research efforts, which include compiling statistical data sets related to economic development and workforce development. Hamilton assists with information gathering for recruitment RFIs, members, investors and regional economic development partners.
Phone: 423.763.4334
Supports the recruitment of prospective businesses and serves as the Chamber’s first point of contact for all prospect related inquiries, including the coordination of formal responses to Requests for Information and Requests for Proposals.
Phone: 423.763.4337
Directs the Chamber’s existing business development team in implementing strategies that both retain existing businesses and support their expansion.
Phone: 423.763.4333
Marcherie Savage
Economic Development Marketing Coordinator
Helps with developing and executing marketing strategies, marketing plans, as well as conceptualizing and designing creative marketing assets for a range of platforms to promote the growth of Chattanooga’s economy.
Manages the INCubator program that provides resources for growth and financial stability for 70+ start up business. Serves as staff liaison to the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Coordinates day-to-day operations at The INCubator.
Phone: 423.752.4301
Mariaelena Hays, Marketing & Programs Coordinator (The INCubator)
Entrepreneurial & Start Up Services
Serves as marketing coordinator for the INCubator and INCubator events. Manages social media accounts and online platforms with startup and entrepreneur content, including StartingBlockChattanooga.com. Supports the Director of Small Business and Entrepreneurship in developing and implementing marketing communications strategies to promote the INCubator, its clients and the broader Chattanooga startup community.
Robby Clark, Facility Maintenance Technician (The INCubator)
Entrepreneurial & Start Up Services
Oversees facility maintenance and vendor relationships at The INCubator.
Phone: 423.752.4301 ext. 2005
Provides janitorial and light maintenance services for The INCubator.
Phone: 423.752.4301
Provides intensive daily support to the Chattanooga 2.0 team. Responsible for planning and coordinating meetings, collaborative projects, and events for Chattanooga 2.0’s seven action teams, as well as researching best practices, developing promotional materials, and serving as a communications liaison.
Phone: 423.763.4355
VP of Public Policy.
Phone: 423.7634379
Manages Chamber talent attraction and retention strategies. Works closely with Leadership Chattanooga, Leadership Chattanooga Alumni Association (LCAA), Young Professionals of Chattanooga (YPC), Protégé Chattanooga, ChattaNewbies programs, and Health Care Alliance.
Phone: 423.763.4378
Responsible for coordinating efforts across workforce development efforts including but not limited to youth apprenticeships, work-based learning, and supporting talent development efforts with local educational partners. Serves as a proactive liaison between the Steering Committee, all stakeholders, funders, governmental agencies, elected officials, the Chamber of Commerce and the general public.
Provides support and coordinates the logistics for talent attraction and retention programs. Supports marketing of Chamber talent initiatives and events.
Provides administrative support for public strategies and coordinates volunteers and event details for the School-to-Work programs.
Phone: 423.763.4321.
Lorne Steedley, Vice President of Diversity and Inclusive Growth
Diversity and Inclusive Growth
The Vice President of Diversity and Inclusive Growth has the unique opportunity to leverage the high-profile, recognized platform the Chattanooga Chamber offers to further local, state and national discourse on the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion across numerous areas of economic mobility and impact: in the workforce; in the workplace; and in the marketplace.
Phone: 423.763.4375
Leads the Chamber’s Diversity & Inclusion efforts by engaging with and recruiting historically disadvantaged segments of the community while promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
Phone: 423.763.4362
Builds the Chamber brand and proactively manages the Chamber’s reputation through marketing communications on the national, regional and local levels. Serves as Chamber spokesperson, lead strategist in visual branding and executive communications, including traditional and new media.
Phone: 423.763.4347
Develops creative for promoting Chamber events and programs, as well as materials to market the area’s business assets. Administers the Chamber’s social media efforts including Facebook pages and Twitter feeds.
Phone: 423.763.4371
Serves as managing editor of Business Trend magazine/ChattanoogaTrend.com and lead writer for Chamber communications. Manages department internship program and coordinates marketing for major Chamber events through trade agreements with local TV and radio outlets. Handles most local media outreach and assists with efforts to market our region nationally. Serves on interdepartmental digital and social media team and liaises with Council communications volunteers.
Phone: 423.763.4358
Creates digital content for the Chamber. Serves as in-house videography and podcast producer. Updates and maintains Chamber’s website.
Phone: 423.763.4374
Leads and manages all efforts related to accounting, finance, human resources and facilities management, as well as providing ancillary support to collaborative initiatives such as Chatt 2.0, Principal Leadership Academy and THRIVE 2055.
Phone: 423.763.4344
Primary responsibility for accounting relating to the Chamber Foundation, accounts receivable for Chamber and Foundation, and employee payroll and benefits.
Phone: 423.763.4349
Manages the Chamber’s information systems, computer hardware and telephony systems including maintenance, updating, and acquiring new systems to ensure seamless operation and minimize downtime.
Phone: 423.763.4354