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2018 was a monumental year for the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. CCOC’s mission driven words—advocate, collaborate, and innovate—were at the forefront of all our 2018 accomplishments. We are so proud to publish our first annual report. If you want to see what our mission (to champion business, economic development, and education in Clayton, NC) looks like in action, view the report (click the button) below. Note: If you are viewing from your phone, turn it to horizontal view and view inside your browser.
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 More than 120 participants gathered at the Clayton Center today to hear experts discuss a federal program that could bring new jobs, companies and investment into designated properties in Johnston County. Known as Opportunity Zones, the national initiative offers deferments and exceptions on capital gains taxes derived from investments made in low-wealth communities. The Town of Clayton and the Clayton Chamber of Commerce (CCOC) joined the Johnston County Office of Economic Development in organizing and hosting the program, which was sponsored by KS Bank. "The Clayton Chamber of Commerce champions economic development and we are very proud to produce collaborative and educational initiatives like this for our business community. Below you will the summit press release, program, and presentation from the event. We appreciate your dedication to the Johnston County community." ~Dana Wooten, CCOC President/CEO   The 68th Clayton Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting & Community Awards Ceremony was held Tuesday, January 23, 2019 at Brick & Mortar Events in Clayton, NC. The Clayton Chamber of Commerce (CCOC) presented their annual awards along with Clayton Downtown Development Association (CDDA), Clayton Rotary Club, and Clayton Women in Networking (WIN). Congratulations to all the award recipients. Excerpts from CCOC President / CEO Dana Wooten's Speech: "I stood right here last year and told you about the Clayton Chamber of Commerce’s rich history. A history that is deeply rooted in community involvement and in the cultivation of relationships with businesses, residents, and key stakeholders. And because of that, CCOC could confidently set its eyes on the future. I shared about our three-year campaign and strategic plan and reminded you that we were all Building Clayton’s Future…together. Well. That is exactly what we did in 2018.  We continued to make great strides in areas of economic development, legislative and governmental affairs, and education. And we launched a workforce development committee with fresh goals and ideas. Through our impact committees, CCOC has collaborated with the Town of Clayton in order to reach important economic development goals such as the development of Clayton Districts and a demographic brochure. We are on the steering committee, along with the other JOCO chambers of commerce, Johnston County Economic Development, Johnston County Public Schools, and Johnston Community College, that is launching an exciting workforce program like none you have ever seen called JOCO Works. The hands-on expo will target all 8th grade students in our county and will be held November 14-15, 2019. CCOC has also expanded our political forum offerings in order to keep Clayton voters informed. We are in the process of launching a re-vamped mentoring program called INSPIRE with Clayton Middle School. We received a grant to help us expand our award-winning The Clayton Connection app by providing a Clayton tour for our new and current residents in 2019. Something you will hear more about soon. And we are working on our first annual report to present to all our investors and the public. I could go on…[But quite frankly, I’m exhausted!] And I didn’t even mention our successful Clayton Harvest Festival with our first-ever Military Crossroads despite a hurricane…thanks to the flexibility of our staff [especially Maria Bunn], Dave Brown with The Shindig, Clayton Mid-Day Rotary, and last, but not least, the Town of Clayton. And if you didn’t see the flyover, it was something amazing. The 2018 CCOC board of directors, staff, and members of our impact committees, were all laser-focused on our mission of business advocacy, economic development, and education in Clayton. We reached nearly all our strategic plan milestones for 2018…and then some. And thanks to the generosity of all our investors, this organization had a BIG and POSITIVE impact on this wonderful community. We are so proud of this organization’s work in 2018. You will hear more about CCOC’s impact throughout the night. It is shown in the businesses we cheer. It is shown in the awards we present. It is shown in our collaboration with you all…Clayton Rotary, Clayton Downtown Development Association, and Clayton WIN. It is shown in this crowd. CCOC is heading into 2019 with great momentum and plans…more advocacy, more collaboration, and more innovation. And that only means even more great things are in Clayton’s future. The 2019 Board of Directors and staff of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce thank you all for investing in Clayton by investing in the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Now. Let’s get the party started." ~Dana Wooten, CCOC President/CEO 2018 Award Recipients:
CCOC Outgoing Board of Directors and Executive Committee were also recognized for their time and dedication to the Clayton Chamber of Commerce and the CCOC's 2019 Board of Directors were introduced.    CCOC PRESIDENT/CEO SELECTED for ESGR BOSS LIFT PROGRAM; ATTENDS GOVERNOR'S SIGNING CEREMONY12/5/2018 After attending ESGR’s Operation Boss Lift earlier this year (see post below), CCOC President/CEO Dana Bales Wooten had the pleasure of attending the ceremony at the State Capitol on December 5, 2018 to witness Governor Cooper signing a “Statement of Support for National Guard and Reserve Employees.” Read more about the ceremony here > Original Post Date: 08/23/2018 CCOC President/CEO Dana Wooten was privileged to be selected for a program facilitated by the North Carolina Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). This program, a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience traveling via an Air Force C-17 Globemaster, provides employers and chambers with the opportunity to observe the extraordinary responsibility, skills, and professionalism of today’s citizen-warriors serving the in the nation’s Guard and Reserve and as current or potential employees. “This trip has really opened my eyes to an existing qualified employable workforce that needs to be courted.” ~Dana Wooten, CCOC President/CEO View the news story here >   As you already know, CCOC is a non-profit civically-engaged economic advancement organization led by the businesses that invest in our mission. Our mission is to champion business, economic development, and education in Clayton, NC. And we accomplish this mission by:
Below you will find CCOC's 2018 list of accomplishments, the outcome of the work mentioned above. We obviously could not accomplish these things without our campaign investors, investors (members), committees, board of directors, and staff. We thank you all so much for all your hard work and investment in 2018. After looking at our 2018 accomplishments, it is safe to say, CCOC is heading into 2019 with great momentum. Our 2019 board of directors just finished their annual strategic planning session and we have some pretty big plans in store for Clayton. Stay engaged with our initiatives and events by watching for CCOC emails during the year (and let us know if the right people in your company are not receiving them). We can't wait to get started in 2019! 
 CCOC and Town of Clayton Present Economic Development Update During November 2018 Eggs & Issues Event Following up on the CCOC Economic Development Committee vision and action plan presentation by CCOC and the Town of Clayton several months ago, our November 28th Eggs & Issues event featured an update on those initiatives and highlighted the development of Clayton districts and a new Clayton marketing and demographic brochure. A future video series was also discussed. The event presentation was led by Town of Clayton Economic Development Director Dave DeYoung, Town of Clayton Public Information Officer Stacy Beard, and CCOC Economic Development Committee Chair Jim Perricone. You can view the districts and brochure on CCOC's website at claytonchamber.com/business or on the Town of Clayton's website. The Town of Clayton created a video of the recent meeting. It can be viewed below.
During its October meeting, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce (CCOC) board of directors discussed and voted to endorse the upcoming Johnston County School Bond Referendum. The bond is set to be on the November 6, 2018 ballot.
"This bond will provide $61 million for Johnston County Public Schools and $15 million for Johnston Community College for much needed improvements, expansions, and additions. Both entities are extremely important components of CCOC's impact agenda, particularly as they relate to current and future workforce solutions for the Clayton community. The passing of this bond will allow Johnston County to finance the cost of the listed projects over a long period of time without a tax increase. We urge Clayton residents to take the time to learn more and vote on November 6, 2018 in favor of this important bond," said President/CEO Dana Wooten. You can learn more and read what each school will receive using the links below:
CCOC's President/CEO Dana Bales Wooten was named as a nominee for the 2018 CWBN Athena Leadership Award this year. Congratulations to Dana and the rest of the nominees:
 CCOC was honored to host the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership (NCIOPL) Hometown Debate Series at The Clayton Center on October 9, 2018. “The goal of these events is to encourage and enhance education dialogue at a local level - equipping voters with information they can use to make more informed business, policy, and electoral decisions,” said NCIOPL Board Chair Nelle Hotchkiss. The debate in Clayton focused on the proposed amendment of increasing legislative control over appointments to the bipartisan elections and ethics board. “We are pleased to bring this public service opportunity to our community,” said Dana Wooten, CEO of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. “NCIOPL’s mission is centered around fair political discourse on issues, and these debates will provide the opportunity to do just that.” The debate was taped and broadcasted by Spectrum News. NCIOPL is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization whose mission is to educate future political and community leaders in modern campaign strategy, ethical decision making, and governance, such that its participants will have a sound grounding in ethical behavior, consensus building, and cooperative and collaborative leadership.  CCOC was honored to be a recipient of the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (CACCE) 2018 education and innovation grant for an new addition to The Clayton Connection community app. The award was presented to President/CEO Dana Wooten at the CACCE annual convention on October 4, 2018.  CCOC's Economic Development Committee Rolls Out Vision and Action Plan with Town of Clayton6/27/2018 The Clayton Chamber of Commerce (CCOC) Economic Development Committee's vision and action plan rollout with the Town of Clayton at our quarterly Eggs & Issues event was packed with people and important information and initiatives. Working collaboratively with the Town of Clayton on its place branding expansion efforts (including a call for district sub-branding) and supporting the Johnston Community College goal of establishing a Clayton Campus (to foster a pipeline of talent across all sectors for the emerging workforce needs in the area) were just a few highlights from the action plan shared during the event. Town of Clayton Economic and Community Development Director Dave DeYoung also provided the following eye-opening stats during the event:
Learn more and read CCOC's Economic Development Committee's entire vision and action plan inside our Impact Agenda here. The CCOC Economic Development Committee includes: Jim Perricone; Ruth Anderson; Dana Wooten, Bobby Bunn; Dave DeYoung; Kaitlin Russo; Kyle McDermott; Tara Abernathy; Edwin Jackson; Greg Kennedy; Charlie Bell; and Beth Watson. Note: This collaborative presentation included some very exciting goals and action items that made everyone “Think Clayton.” And that included the local news. Here is a news clip that aired the same evening (we spy a few CCOC investors and our board chair) > https://www.wral.com/business/video/17660261/ 
CCOC attended the Triangle Commercial Association of Realtors (TCAR) Lunch & Learn on Friday, June 22, 2018 to learn about and tour the new Raleigh Union Station. The beautiful station incorporates retail and office space, as well as thoughtfully-designated spaces for both the tourist and business traveler.
The potential to connect Clayton to Raleigh is extremely important to CCOC and something we address inside our Impact Agenda. The Clayton Chamber of Commerce champions business, economic development, and education in Clayton, NC. We accomplish this mission by COLLABORATING with various organizations through forums, task forces, committees, and even one-on-one conversations; ADVOCATING within the community, various organizations, and governments; and providing INNOVATIVE solutions, community pride, business marketing opportunities, networking, and professional development training through various signature events and other initiatives.
Join us at one of our Chamber U: Orientation seminars to learn more about our valuable work in the community. You can invest in the NEW Clayton Chamber of Commerce at www.claytonchamber.com (click on Invest/Apply).
Today, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce (CCOC) received a Communication Excellence Award from the Carolinas Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives for The Clayton Connection App.
The app concept, name, and branding were developed by CCOC staff to emphasize community connectivity. The app utilizes Guidebook, Inc.’s platform which allows multiple entities and/or special events to live inside one app. Currently, The Clayton Connection App includes guidebooks for the Clayton Rotary Christmas Parade (updated annually), the CCOC Business Directory and Events, Clayton Harvest Festival (updated annually), and the recent North Carolina Main Street Conference event hosted by Downtown Clayton, NC. Additional guidebooks are in the process of being added to the app, making it a must-have for all Clayton, NC residents. CCOC plans to incorporate The Clayton Connection App into its newly-created newcomer tours beginning late 2018. The Communication Excellence Award was presented to President/CEO Dana Wooten during the 2018 Leadership Development Conference (April 25-27, 2018) in Hilton Head Island, SC. The Clayton Chamber of Commerce (CCOC) hosted a political forum, Platforms at the Podium: Town Hall Meeting, on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 from 6:30 pm until 9:00 pm at The Clayton Center (Auditorium), 111 E Second Street, Clayton, NC 27520. This forum was free to attend and open to the public. All Johnston County Board of Commissioners primary race candidates were invited to participate. The event was moderated and each candidate was asked the same list of questions and allowed an allotted time to answer.
About Platforms at the Podium CCOC’s Legislative & Governmental Affairs Committee supports the mission of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce through advocacy and collaboration between the Clayton community and all levels of government. Platforms at the Podium is a public political forum facilitated by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce’s Legislative & Governmental Affairs Committee. The Clayton Chamber of Commerce encourages all of its members and residents to exercise their right to vote. CCOC does not endorse candidates for public office. On January 23, 2018, the Clayton Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Meeting and Community Awards Ceremony: Building Clayton's Future. The following awards were presented, along with several awards from Clayton Rotary, Clayton WIN, and Clayton Downtown Development Association. 2017 Citizen of the Year Award – Herman Mitchiner This annual award is presented to an individual nominated by Clayton residents (and ultimately selected by a community-wide Citizen of the Year task force). The nominees for 2017 Citizen of the Year were: Tony Johnson; Kisch Konold; Herman Mitchiner; and Sara Perricone. What an honor to be nominated by fellow citizens for such an awesome award. Al l of the nominees had wonderful things written about them and were worthy of the award. However, only one person can be chosen. Congratulations Herman Mitchiner! The following is a list of things presented to the committee on behalf of Herman by his nominator(s):
2017 Business of the Year Award – Rainbow Lanes Family Fun Center Each month the Clayton Chamber selects a Business of the Month from nominations made by the community. From the monthly winners, a Business of the Year task force selects the winner. The following businesses were recognized monthly in 2017: Compare Foods; Dylan's Unique Gifts & Weddings; Medlin Office Supply; Quintessential Wellness; Rainbow Lanes Family Fun Center; The Retreat on Horne; Unique Gifts by Jacquelynn; and Zaxby's. Congratulations Rainbow Lanes Family Fun Center! This year’s Business of the Year exhibited excellent customer and community service. They gave freely of their personal time and resources to help grow and develop our community. 2017 Innovator of the Year Award – Jim Perricone Selected by the Clayton Chamber, this annual award is presented to an individual who promotes innovation within our community. Congratulations Jim Perricone! Jim took a request, formulated a plan in line with our mission and made the Clayton Chamber of Commerce a champion of economic development in Clayton. 2017 Key Contributor Award – Jessica Lloyd Selected by the Clayton Chamber, this award is presented to an individual whose level of contribution to our organization is considered invaluable. Congratulations Jessica Lloyd! Jessica was instrumental in the success, growth, and transition of the Clayton Chamber of Commerce over the past year. 2017 Volunteer of the Year Award – Margaret Chance Selected by the Clayton Chamber, this annual award is presented to a standout volunteer. Congratulations Margaret Chance! Margaret is always ready to take on any task that is given to her with a happy heart. Everything from administrative duties to advocating on behalf of the chamber, she shines. 2017 Super Star Teacher of the Year Award – Lynnette Barber of Clayton High School Each month the Clayton Chamber Education Committee selects a Super Star Teacher of the Month from nominations made by the Clayton school principals. From the monthly winners, the Education Committee selects the Super Star of the Year. The following teachers were recognized monthly in 2017. Lynnette Barber of Clayton High School; Jennifer Barber of East Clayton Elementary; Melissa Bolen of Cooper Academy; Nicole DeStefano of Riverwood Middle School; Patricia Lytle of Riverwood Elementary; Susan Marler of Powhatan Elementary; Jessica Merrill of River Dell Elementary; Jennifer Thorne of Clayton Middle School; and Caroline Trainor of West Clayton Elementary. Congratulations to this year’s Super Star Teacher of the Year, Lynnette Barber! She is described by her peers as caring for each child as if they were her own. She is known to be compassionate, kind, fun, encouraging, and most of all, persistent. Two of her undertakings really stand out as successes. She created the "Circle of Friends" club which provides students who are not in the Life Skills program the opportunity to interact with the Life Skills class on a daily basis. She also coordinates an EC Alternative Prom for her students and their parents. Getting the full experience of the high school prom, including music and dancing makes for an amazing evening for all of the special needs students. 2017 Leaving a Legacy Award – Jim Lee Selected by the Clayton Chamber, this award is presented to an individual that has provided at least 8 years of service to our organization. A legacy is something a person leaves behind by which to be remembered. Service is the act of helping or doing work for people or organizations. This year’s winner, Jim Lee, has done both. He has gone above and beyond on behalf of the Chamber for many years (and continues to do so in various ways). 2017 Ambassador of the Year Award – Michael Pagliocca and Ingrid Blackburn Selected by the Clayton Chamber, this annual award is presented to a standout member of the Clayton Chamber’s Ambassador Committee. Congratulations Michael and Ingrid. This dynamic duo are true Chamber advocates, have attended most of our ribbon cutting and networking events, and played a key role in the organization and execution of our member retention program, Operation Thank You. 2017 Task Force of the Year Award – Squealin’ on the Square (a part of the Clayton Harvest Festival) This annual award is presented to members of a task force who increase their efforts from the previous year and add value to their event. This year’s winner, the Squealin’ on the Square Task Force, included the following individuals: Vickie Adams; Tom Barwick; Melody Brown; Tony Brown; Brent George; Kyle McDermott; and Tom Schaffer. 2017 Clayton Harvest Festival Awards – Task Force Recognition Without the planning and dedication of task force members, the Clayton Harvest Festival and Latin American Festival (a part of the Clayton Harvest Festival) would not have been possible. Clayton Harvest Festival awards were presented to the following task force members: Angel Colon; Jose Lantiqua; Jim Lee; James Lipscomb; Jessica Lloyd; Betty Ortiz; Hannah Pellas; and Ariel Ramirez. Clayton Harvest Festival Awards – Harvest Festival Heroes The Clayton Harvest Festival would not be successful without volunteers. Selected by the Clayton Chamber, these awards are presented to individuals who go above and beyond the call of duty behind the scenes during the Clayton Harvest Festival. This year’s Clayton Harvest Festival Heroes are: Josh Bledsoe; Dave DeYoung; Simon Garren; John Long; Matt Lorion; Kaitlin Russo; Martha Stovall; Jonathan Stovall; members of Clayton Rotary; and members of Clayton WIN. CCOC Board of Directors Recognition – 2018 Incoming Board Members & Executive Committee Ruth Anderson of LegalShield, Chair; Brent George of Four Oaks Bank, Vice-Chair; Sarah Martin of First National Bank, Treasurer; Dyrke Maricle of State Farm Insurance, Past Chair; Tom Barwick of The Law Office of Thomas E. Barwick, PLLC; Erin Davis-Belcher of Dylan's Unique Gifts & Weddings; Marty Bizzell of Bass, Nixon and Kennedy, Inc.; Edwin Jackson of Caterpillar; Tony Johnson of Tony Johnson Architect; Adam Lindsay of Town of Clayton (Ex Officio); Jessica Lloyd of Dakno Marketing; Kyle McDermott of Johnston Health; Melissa Oliver of Triangle YMCA; Aimee Sharrett of Carolina Comfort Air; April Stephens of RE/Max One Realty; and Scarlett Tyner of Novo Nordisk. CCOC Board of Directors Recognition – 2017 Executive Committee Dyrke Maricle, 2017 Chair; Ruth Anderson, 2017 Vice Chair; Woody Bailey, 2017 Treasurer; Melissa Oliver, and 2017 Past Chair. CCOC Board of Directors Recognition – 2017 Outgoing Board Members Annette Atkinson (2013-2017); Amy Baker (2015-2017); Jeff Fako (2015-2017); Art Holder (2015-2017); and Jim Lee (2010-2017). 2017 Clayton Chamber of Commerce Champions Recognition – Gold Level The Clayton Chamber would not be able to fulfill its mission without the support of our 2017 Chamber Champions. The following are 2017 Gold Level Champions: Caterpillar; Four Oaks Bank; Grifols; Johnston Health; Novo Nordisk; and Zaxby’s. 2017 Clayton Chamber of Commerce Champions Recognition – Silver Level The Clayton Chamber would not be able to fulfill its mission without the support of our 2017 Chamber Champions. The following are 2017 Silver Level Champions: FastMed Urgent Care; Johnston County Visitors Bureau; OPW Global; and Woody's Computing Service. 2017 Clayton Chamber of Commerce Champions Recognition – Bronze Level The Clayton Chamber would not be able to fulfill its mission without the support of our 2017 Chamber Champions. The following are 2017 Bronze Level Champions: Carolina Comfort Air, Inc.; CenturyLink; Clayton Glass and Mirror; Divine Marketing Group; Duke Energy; First Citizens Bank; Chick-fil-A of Garner; KB Home; Walker Lambe, PLLC; McDonald's; and Triangle Insurance Group. |
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(919) 553-6352
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Clayton Chamber of Commerce
301 E. Main Street Clayton, NC 27520 |
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8:30am - 5:00pm Fridays 8:30am-3:00pm 8:30am - 1:00pm (Summer) |
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Copyright 2019 Clayton Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserves. You may not copy any content without written permission.
Photography by Amanda Underwood of Underwood Creative. You may not use any photograph without written permission.
CCOC is an official visitor center of the Johnston County Visitors Bureau.
VIEW CCOC PRIVACY, SECURITY, AND REFUND POLICIES >
Copyright 2019 Clayton Chamber of Commerce. All rights reserves. You may not copy any content without written permission.
Photography by Amanda Underwood of Underwood Creative. You may not use any photograph without written permission.
CCOC is an official visitor center of the Johnston County Visitors Bureau.
VIEW CCOC PRIVACY, SECURITY, AND REFUND POLICIES >