We are the champions.

The Clayton Chamber of Commerce's mission is to ADVANCE business development, ELEVATE opportunities, and INFLUENCE the future of the Clayton, NC area.​ We accomplish this mission by:
Elevating Clayton's future through community forums, task forces, committees, and even one-on-one conversations; Influencing business development within the community, various organizations, and governments; and providing advancement opportunities, marketing solutions, networking, and professional development training  through various signature events and other initiatives.

The Clayton Chamber of Commerce is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors.

MORE ABOUT OUR HISTORY >

The CCOC team.

The Clayton Chamber of Commerce team is made up of the staff members below. The CCOC team works alongside valuable volunteers almost everyday to achieve the CCOC mission and vision.

Dana Wooten
President / CEO

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Raised in Johnston County, North Carolina, Dana has over 16 years in executive-level nonprofit administration as the former Association Executive of the Johnston County Association of REALTORS®. Her collaborative energy, strategic planning, resourcefulness, and goals implementation are invaluable to CCOC.

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Maria Smith
Director of Events and Operations

Ann Buskirk
Administrative Assistant

Valerie Mullins
Investor Relations and Business Development Specialist

Born in the Mountain Region of North Carolina, Maria has been a resident of Clayton for over 20 years. As a former business owner, she brings a wealth of experience in business operations to CCOC. Maria's background also includes event planning and project management.

All the way from Maryland, Ann brings to CCOC a background in program management. She looks forward to helping CCOC staff with administrative tasks and working hard for the Clayton, North Carolina community and CCOC investors every day.

Valerie grew up in the mountains of Virginia, in the small town of Bluefield. With a professional background in Corporate America as well as Privately Owned Businesses, she is very well versed in Business Development and is excited to be a part of growing the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. 

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The CCOC board of directors.

The following board of directors govern the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, a 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, by generously volunteering time over a three-year term. The CCOC board of directors, as well as all CCOC staff and volunteers, conduct all business in an ethical manner with integrity, transparency, and excellence.

​Angelina
​Corroo
Chair 
​HomeTowne Realty

​Kyle
McDermott 
Vice Chair 
UNC Health Johnston

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Charles
​Marcom
Treasurer
KS Bank

Scott
Sides
Past Chair
​Accentuate Staffing

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Tara Abernathy
Director
Kid's R Kid's Learning Academy

Rich
Capolla
Director (Ex Officio)
​Town of Clayton 

Melissa
Overton
Director
Medical
​Training.Me

Michael Pagliocca
Director
Elite Travel Planners LLC

Dean Penny
​Director
The Copper District and Craig Davis Properties

Evelyn
​Sanders
Director
Southeastern Healthcare of NC Inc.

Brian Stoker 
Director
Grifols

Michael Strauss
Director
The Design Haus

Gabriella Terry
​​Director
Chefella's Catering & Event Planning

Scarlett Tyner
Director
Novo Nordisk

Twyla ​Wells
Director
Johnston Community College

2021 Accolades.

REPRESENTED our business community in the following organizations (or at the following events):North Carolina Chamber of Commerce; Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE); Johnston County Public Schools Career & Technical Education Advisory Board Chair, Johnston County Education Foundation Board; Leadership Johnston Board; Southeast Institute for Organization Management (graduate); Carolinas Association of Chambersof Commerce Executives (CACCE); CACCE Staff and Management Leadership Conference; Eastern NC Festival Consortium; Johnston County Visitor’s Bureau and Tourism Board; Clayton WIN; Harbor of Johnston County Board; Clayton Rotary; and more.

ACCOMPLISHED the following: Established the Clayton Downtown District Revitalization Grant funded by Duke Energy’s Hometown Revitalization program; completed a successful 2022 Total Resource Campaign; continued the CCOC INSPIRE Mentoring Program at Clayton Middle School; implemented Launch JOCO to support and develop entrepreneurs and small businessesin Johnston County; initiated the Students to Entrepreneurs Program (STEP) for sophomore and junior high school students; hosted “Platforms at the Podium” for Clayton Town Council race; curated a completed Voter Resources page for the 2021 Municipal Election; held quarterly “State of the Chamber” events with expert guest speakers; released third Annual Report; hosted 80+ events, including the return of our legacy event: Clayton Harvest Festival; and developed a 2022 Strategic Plan.

RECEIVED a $25,000 Duke Energy Hometown Revitalization Grant; $2,500 CACCE Innovative Program Grant for CCOC’s STEP (Student to Entrepreneur Program) initiative; Clear Energy Champion Award from Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy; and the 2021 Chamber Executive of the Year for North Carolina by CACCE.

PARTNERED with the following organizations or intatives: Town of Clayton Downtown Development Association; Johnston County Business and Industry Alliance; JOCO WORKS Steering Committee; The Greater Triangle Commuter Rail Study; Town of Clayton Comprehensive Growth Plan Steering Committee; Johnston County Economic Development; NC State Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Harvest Festival Economic Impact Study; Launch JOCO: Johnston County Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Benson and Triangle East Chambers, Johnston County Rotary Clubs, Johnston Community College Small Business Center, Racial Equality Coalition of NC; and more.

INCREASED collaborative partnerships; social media followers on all platforms; organic website traffic; number of engaged investors through our Total Resource Campaign; total number of CCOC investors; and more.

CCOC has big goals.

Business 

The Clayton Chamber of Commerce will continue to research and implement grant opportunites that benefit the businesses in our community and encourage new businesses to lay roots in Clayton.

Advocacy

The Clayton Chamber of Commerce will continue to facilite renovations that respect our historic building as we advocate for the advancement of Clayton's education, transit, and digital connectivity. 

Community

The Clayton Chamber of Commerce will leverage its resources to help create a community that is inclusive, equitable, and diverse, making Clayton an attractive destination for dynamic new talent in its workforce.

Clayton Chamber Foundation.

Separate from the Clayton Chamber of Commerce, the Clayton Chamber Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2019. Its mission is to raise funds to support and advance CCOC initiatives for the betterment of the Clayton community. Contact us for more information on how to make a charitable donation to this foundation.

Board of Directors: Tony Brown (Chair), Ruth Anderson (Vice Chair), Melissa Oliver (Secretary/Treasure), Jim Perricone, Joy Garretson, Brent George (Directors)

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