|
A
new deputy director, Jennifer Ingulli,
took up her duties at the Wake Forest
Chamber of Commerce last week, and
Darren O’Connor, who has been the
membership services director, announced
at the beginning of August that he would
leave at the end of the month to go into
real estate or the health and fitness
field.
The changes mean that three
of the four chamber positions will be
held by new people by the end of 2007.
The executive director and deputy
director, Mark Fleming and Tresa Jalot,
left earlier this year. Only Carolyn
Furr, the executive assistant, will
remain of the staff at the beginning of
2007.
Jodie LaFreniere is the new
executive director, coming on board
earlier this summer.
Ingulli graduated from James
Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.,
and has lived in the Raleigh area for 10
years. She worked for seven years as a
graphic designer and later outside sales
in Cary, and most recently she was with
Smith & Associates/Cherokee Publishing
Company in Cary. While there she was
their event manager, planning
conferences and local events.
O’Connor has been at the
chamber since the beginning of 2005. “It's
been a great experience. I've met a lot
of great people and learned a lot about
business and local government. However,
I never intended to stay in the
non-profit world long term, and I'm now
seeking opportunities that will allow me
to better provide for my family and
reach my full potential,” he said.
“To begin with, I'll be
getting certified as a personal trainer
and finding work in personal training
and/or gym management somewhere between
Wake Forest and my home in Durham. I'll
also be going into residential real
estate investment. I'll be working with
fixer-uppers to flip or keep as rental
properties, probably getting mortgage
broker and real estate broker licenses
along the way. Eventually, I'll be going
into commercial real estate and full
scale development.”
“I love the Wake Forest
area,” O’Connor said, “and am looking
forward to seeing a continuation of all
the growth and progress we've been
experiencing in recent years. I may even
end up as a Chamber member myself before
long!”
* * * *
Planning for this fall’s 15th
annual Wake Forest Chamber of Commerce
Golf Tournament and the Community
Business Expo 2007 are well underway,
and people who want to participate in
either one or both are urged to act
soon.
The golf tournament on
Tuesday, Sept. 25, will be played at
Heritage Golf Club. There are a variety
of sponsorship and volunteer
opportunities. Registration and
volunteer sheets were included in the
August newsletter.
The business expo will be
held Thursday, Oct. 25, from 4 to 8 p.m.
at The Factory, and the registration
form for booths was also in the
newsletter. If you have any questions,
call Carolyn Furr at 556-1519.
Also, the chamber is
soliciting sponsors for the Chamber
Chalice Award given to one teacher from
a local school at the monthly Business
After Hours. The teacher receives $200
donated by the chalice sponsors, and
there are two sponsors each month. To
become a sponsor, go to
info@wakeforestchamber.org or call
556-1519. |
