Jessica Walden discusses plans as new Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce president

The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce began 2023 with a new president and a new location.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Greater Macon Chamber of Commerce began 2023 with a new president and a new location.

Jessica Walden has worked with community development in Macon for more than 20 years.

Her love for the community and Macon’s history can be traced back to her father and Capricorn Records.

“I am a home town girl,” Walden said. “This building where we are, I grew up with my father having his studio right around the corner, and seeing what downtown was and what downtown could be, or what it could have been and also just understanding the bigger picture.”

The chamber’s new headquarters is on Poplar Street. It moved there recently from its former location on the Macon Centreplex property.

Walden says the move benefits the chamber because it’s now more accessible to businesses.

“It gives us a chance to really look at where does the chamber need to be,” she said. “We are Macon-Bibb’s most significant organized business community, and we’re here to connect our businesses, and more than that, connect the people within our business network to each other.”

During her time as president, she plans to help develop a new career works platform to recruit more talent for businesses.

“It is really a talent recruitment retention plan for us that is going to be a big part of our year ahead,” Walden said. “The good thing about Macon is when you’re here, we want you to make it, and it’s where can we help you.”

Walden says the chamber plans to work with more non-profit organizations to help fill Macon’s labor shortage.