New Chamber President Settling In

New Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President Julie Paysen is settling in to her new office.

Paysen started Monday after the Chamber board voted to hire her for the position.

She said she is ready to get started.

“I am just humbled and honored to have this opportunity to help make a difference in our community,” said Paysen. “I am excited about what lies ahead. I am excited about what lies ahead for this community as we come together to grow the economy and make this a better place to be for all involved.”

Paysen said one of her main goals is to continue the Chamber’s role in working with other agencies to achieve the common goal of strengthening the community.

“I want to help communicate what our role is in the community and how we are here to work together for the betterment for the community as a whole,” said Paysen. “The city, the county, along with the Development Authority, Main Street Toccoa. The goal is the same. We all have different areas to work with to accomplish that goal, but the idea is that we all come together as a whole.”

Chamber Board Chair Greg Roach said that before all was said and done, the Chamber’s search committee went through almost 40 applications and at least eight or nine interviews before presenting finalists to the Chamber board, which then voted to select Paysen.

Roach said the Chamber board looks forward to her tenure and her ability to reach out to businesses, soliciting new Chamber members while strengthening relationships with current members and maintaining a strong relationship with other entities.

“Julie has strong background in sales and marketing and throughout her career, you can see the things she has accomplished have been built on good people skills, personal relationship building,” said Roach. “That is such a bedrock of a Chamber professional’s requirements. That is what they are, a people person.”

There will be a “meet and greet” for people to have a chance to meet Paysen next Thursday, December 11th, in the Mitchell Allen Meeting Room at the historic train depot in downtown Toccoa from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Paysen replaces Wendi Bailey, who retired in August from the position after nearly eight years on the job.

Most recently, Paysen served as a Regional Advertising Sales Representative for Georgia-Carolina Radiocasting, the parent company of WNEG Radio.