EC Georgia News

W. James Allen has been promoted to Vice President of Member & Community Development at the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce. Allen, who is approaching his seventh year with the Chamber, has been recognized for his contributions in member support and community representation.

President & CEO Angie Cox stated, "James is dedicated to his role and to advancing the mission of the Chamber by ensuring that our members feel valued and realize the return on their investment. He is a wonderful advocate for our member businesses and also cares deeply about the betterment of the community."

In his new role, Allen will manage internal member engagement programs aimed at increasing membership retention. His responsibilities include leading the membership team and expanding upper-level investors while continuing efforts in small business retention.

Allen's career with the Chamber began as Membership Growth Manager, progressing through roles such as Membership Engagement Manager and Director of Member Engagement since March 2023. Before joining the Chamber, he worked as Community Business Development Manager for Barnes & Noble in Augusta.

In July 2024, Allen completed a professional development program at the Institute for Organization Management by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He also received The Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) Dana Ketterling Lifetime Sales Achievement Award at Silver level for significant sales achievements.

The Augusta Metro Chamber describes itself as "the largest business membership organization in the CSRA," focused on economic growth and educational initiatives within Augusta.