|
Mark
Fleming, who has led the Wake Forest
Chamber of Commerce for eight years
during a time of tremendous growth for
both the organization and the town,
announced Tuesday he is leaving to
become the executive vice president
NCFREE in Raleigh. His last day will be
Friday, March 23.
“The past eight years have
truly been the best of my professional
life,” Fleming said in a letter to all
chamber members. He said he came as a
young man accepting a new challenge. “I
leave eight years later as someone whose
life has been enriched by the kindness
and friendships made in the ‘forest of
Wake.’ ‘’
David Williams Sr., chairman
of the chamber’s board of directors,
also sent a letter that said, in part,
“Mark is not merely a skilled
professional but also a caring person
who got involved in Wake Forest beyond
his role at the Chamber. He has served
on the board boards or volunteered time
and resources for organizations such as
the Koinonia Foundation, the Wake Forest
Community Response Team, the Trentini
Foundation and many more.”
During his years here, the
number of chamber members has more than
doubled, from 315 to 703 and counting.
Jonnie Anderson, who has
worked on many downtown and civic
projects, recalled trying to sign up
chamber members several years ago. It
was very difficult, she said. “Now they
just walk in the door.”
NCFREE is the North Carolina
Forum for Research and Economic
Education, a nonprofit agency that
examines the General Assembly, the
state’s congressional delegation,
members of the state Council of
Government and the judiciary from a
business perspective and publishes the
results in The Almanac of North Carolina
Politics.
“It is no surprise that
another organization has recognized what
a talented professional Mark is. We are
happy for him as he embraces this
extraordinary opportunity and wish him
all the best,” Williams wrote.
Fleming himself said that
most chamber directors stay in one
position for three years; eight is
highly unusual.
Deputy Director Tresa Jalot
will be the interim director while a
search is underway for a new director.
The search committee is the executive
committee of the board of directors.
Williams said they hope to have a new
executive director by July 1. |
