These attributes describe both the essence of our beautiful city as well as the new President and CEO of the Huntsville Walker County Chamber of Commerce. Meet Jason Brandolini who undertook this leadership role on March 17th of this year and has been on a clear path to build upon the solid foundation the Chamber has established in this community.
I grew up in both New York City and Central Florida. Though those cities were large and disunited (to say the least), the neighborhoods I grew up in were very small and close-knit, sharing many similarities to Walker County. I graduated from American Intercontinental University with a degree in business and earned an MBA from the University of Phoenix. I have worked in both nonprofit servant leadership and private sector management roles over the years. Additionally, my beautiful wife Kendra graduated from Sam Houston State University and has always hoped to move back to this area. We have three adult sons and a three-year-old grandson, Antony. One son is currently attending SHSU, so it seemed the right time for us to make this move to Huntsville. Gratefully, I was hired for this leadership role, and we are thrilled to live in this thriving and friendly community.
I have always had a passion for supporting community development and facilitating business growth. The Chamber role gives me the perfect opportunity to help build strong relationships, grow the local economy, and support the businesses that make Walker County unique. I bring strong communication, strategic planning, and relationship-building skills, along with a deep appreciation for both business and community that I believe will have a positive impact toward achieving these goals. I also value transparency, collaboration, and thinking creatively to solve problems.
My main goal is to make the Chamber more accessible, visible, and impactful. I want to grow our membership, support workforce development, create more opportunities for businesses to thrive, and continue building strong partnerships across Walker County. The Chamber should be the resource hub for businesses and organizations.
Balancing tradition with innovation can be challenging. Making sure we honor our roots, while also evolving to meet new needs, takes thought and teamwork. Like many organizations, we also face challenges with membership retention and resource limitations. Additionally, building and securing trust is essential. People who work together, share ideas, and support each other build this foundation on trust—if that is lost, people stop working as a team, communication breaks down, and it becomes a harder task to progress forward and accomplish goals.
We support the city’s economic development office in several ways. As new businesses consider moving to this area, we can help to connect personnel with realtors, builders, doctors, and government agencies that will supply secondary supportive needs. We also work diligently to support those businesses by encouraging their engagement with the community, and by helping to determine their needs and shortcomings and finding solutions for these concerns.
Part of this process involves weekly and monthly meetings where we provide speakers on various topics or we just spend time discussing concerns. We have good relationships with members of the school board, city council, and organizations such as the Rotary and Lions Clubs, as well as with local clergy. Through these relationships, we work to meet needs and solve problems. I enjoy dialoging with people and listening to their ideas and visions. I know how to connect with people and can help foster relationships that benefit everyone. I want to be seen as someone who has an open hand and an open heart.
The Chamber is a great place to start. Whether you are joining a committee, attending a networking event, or just showing up to support local businesses, every bit of involvement matters. We also like to connect folks to local nonprofits and school programs as well. There is always a need. I am always encouraging people to find one way to plug in. You will be surprised at just how rewarding it is.
We enjoy the people! There is a genuine spirit of hospitality and pride in Walker County. I love how our communities show up for one another, and the blend of history, education, and business makes this a special place to call home. My family and I love to hike and camp in Huntsville State Park and attend local events and museums around the area. We make every effort to support early education and school programs, and we volunteer when we can with programs such as Meals on Wheels. There are just so many things to do and always something going on, so it is hard to accomplish everything.
Serving in this role is a privilege. I see firsthand the hard work of our business owners and community leaders every day. It is an honor to help guide that energy and create a vision for the future of Huntsville and Walker County.
