Republic Chamber of Commerce names new executive director

Mitchell takes over duties of departed director Hammons
 
After a rocky 2020, the Republic Area Chamber of Commerce is getting back on track, and has hired a new executive director. Macy Mitchell took over the position on Monday, Jan. 7. He succeeds Tonya Hammons, who resigned and left the position unceremoniously in November.
Mitchell said he wanted to take on the role because he himself a business owner; he owns CrossFit Republic, and his family owns All-American Rental and Sales. He said he believes his own experiences as a business owner makes him a good fit for the job.
“When I saw the position open, it immediately made sense to me as a business owner,” he said, “because as a business owner, you already understand what other businesses are going through. You understand what they need as benefits, as far as being part of the Chamber, where they need promotion, the risks that they’re taking, the support that they need.”
Additionally, Mitchell said that with the growth in the city, he saw an opportunity for the chamber to do “big things” for business owners, and the community as a whole.
Currently, Mitchell said, his responsibilities as director are evolving, but for now, he is hosting chamber events, administering the chamber’s website and Facebook page, and generating publicity for chamber members. The chamber is still operating through a virtual office, so when Mitchell is not out and about at functions, he will be conducting the chamber’s business in his own offices.
He also has a vision for the chamber becoming a leading force in the city’s growth.
“With this place growing so quickly, there’s going to be more opportunity to grow your business than ever, (and) we want to be supportive of that,” he said. “We want to open up more employment opportunities than ever; we want to make this the best place to live in the area, and even lead Springfield and lead some of the area with growth and being proactive, showing support for our community also. A lot of this, to me, is based around giving back and serving others. I think it’s super important that we join these businesses together and meet the needs we have in the area all the way around. We can do so much, and … we need to join … together, and let’s all run together as a unit.”
With his business experience, Mitchell said, he can also help business owners develop their businesses by listening to their ideas and giving them feedback.
“I think the thing that a lot of business owners are missing is that they need somebody to throw ideas off of rather than just themselves or family members,” he said. “They need an unbiased contact to look at it and say, “Hey, what can we do better?” And I would hope that I could assist with that.”
Mitchell said he is looking forward to what the future brings in his position as executive director.
“I’m excited about this opportunity solely for the fact that we have such an authentic and quality community,” he said. “That we can serve in such a capacity that sends a ripple across southwest Missouri and the state.”
Mitchell became a familiar name last year in Republic during his failed bid at the District 130 State Representative seat, which eventually went to Bishop Davidson.
But Mitchell's connection to Republic doesn't stop there. He's also married to Republic City Council Member Jennifer Mitchell, of Ward 4.