Jameson's farewell
David Jameson announced Monday that he is stepping down as president of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce effective Jan. 31.
A gregarious Teddy bear of a man with an unbuttoned-at-the-collar sense of humor, Jameson came to a chamber that was in disarray six years ago.
There were financial problems, membership problems and credibility problems.
The chamber is on much more solid footing now.
Jameson rightly said in a press release that he is proud of his accomplishments, among them:
1. the financial turnaround of the organization;
2. the increased emphasis on "small business and public affairs";
3. the increased focus on regionalism;
4. the intitation of the planned "Heart of the Triad" shared-tax-district.
One key to Jameson's effectiveness is his personality. He is down-to-earth, engaging, anything but a stuffed shirt in a business suit.
That said, the still relatively new Greensboro Partnership will change the dynamic of local economic development leadership. That change continued with Jameson's departure.
How the chamber fits into that new landscape will be interesting to see. But I'd expect the scope and nature of the Chamber presidency to change significantly now.