The board of directors of the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce has unanimously voted to select Jason Thomas Mock as the next president and chief executive officer of the 800-member business organization. The announcement was made this week by 2022 chair Dr. Margaret Venable who also serves as president of Dalton State College, and search committee chair Bill Davies, Truist president, Northwest Georgia.
Mr. Mock currently serves as president and chief executive officer of the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce in Texas, which is located 30 miles south of Austin and 40 miles north of San Antonio. He previously served as director of small business services for the Forsyth Chamber of Commerce in Cumming.
“The board is excited to have Jason join the chamber’s team of professionals,” according to Dr. Venable. “He brings with him an understanding of the opportunities and challenges a diverse
demographic population can have in a community and the role business leaders, large and small, play in creating an environment for economic prosperity. I have confidence that he will continue to build upon the great foundation that has been put in place by other chamber leaders, both volunteers and internal team members.”
Mr. Mock has led the San Marcos Area Chamber since 2016, growing its membership in both numbers and influence. His role at the chamber has been to lead the staff, operations and strategic planning for the 550-member organization.
“I am extremely excited about the opportunity to come home to Georgia and be a part of the leadership team at the Greater Dalton Chamber,” Mr. Mock said. “With the accomplishments of the Believe Greater Dalton plan and upcoming update of future strategies, I look forward to becoming engaged in how the business community plays a role in the quality of life for current and future residents. These initiatives are key to the success of businesses already established in the area and future prospects.”
“The search committee has been seeking a professional who is highly skilled in motivational techniques and directive group dynamics to guide the Greater Dalton Chamber,” said Mr. Davies. “Our group vetted several extremely impressive candidates over the past 30 days. We believe Jason’s chamber experience, innovation and creativity will be a great fit for the leadership position.”
Mr. Mock is a graduate of the US Chamber’s Institute of Organization Management program. The program is recognized for offering premier training to chamber professionals throughout the country. He graduated from the University of West Georgia with a bachelor of science, political science degree in 2006. The Carrollton, Ga. native has been active with the several organizations during his time in Texas, including the Texas Association of Business, board member; Economic Development San Marcos; United Way of Hays & Caldwell Counties; Convention and Visitors Bureau; and Leadership San Marcos.
Mr. Mock and his wife, Katie, will be moving to Dalton and Whitfield County. His first day at the chamber is scheduled for March 28.
In addition to Dr. Venable and Mr. Davies, other search committee members included Will Brackett, Nichols, Cauley & Associates, LLC; Tom Bundros, Dalton Utilities; Chuck Dobbins, Dobbins Investments, LLC; Todd Harrison, Hamilton Medical Center; Zab Mendez, North Georgia National Bank; John T. Minor V, The Minor Firm; Amanda Reed, HealthOne Alliance, LLC; and Micah Riggle, Mohawk Industries.
The executive search process was broken into three phases. The first stage centered on determining the skill sets and focus points for the position. Business representatives, government leaders and other stakeholders were interviewed in order to build an updated position description and a candidate profile for the search committee. The second phase was the casting of the net for candidates and specifically identifying professionals who fit the criteria established. The final segment was to interview candidates best suited for the role and complete a vetting process.
The Chason Group, an executive search firm specializing in chambers of commerce, economic
development organizations, foundations and other nonprofits, assisted the Greater Dalton Chamber with the process.