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Celina Chamber president takes leave of absence
New president wants to help businesses get ready for growth
By Penny Rathbun
prathbun@starlocalnews.com
Celina Chamber President Jeran Akers has taken a leave of absence to concentrate on his campaign for Texas House of Representatives District 67 seat to replace Rep. Jerry Madden who did not seek re-election.
Akers was hired as the Celina Chamber president and CEO in August 2010. He originally planned to hold both positions if he was elected.
Now, with four opponents in the race, the campaign is taking up much of his time.
“I have really, really enjoyed the camaraderie, the family spirit and everything else of Celina, Texas and its people,” Akers said.
The former mayor of Plano plans to eventually return to his work with the Celina Chamber of Commerce.
The Celina Chamber board of trustees approved board member David Whiteman as the new chamber president. He is a member of the Celina chamber board of directors and has been active with the Prosper and McKinney chambers.
His friend Jeran Akers asked him to get involved with the Celina chamber to help organize the balloon festival. He was asked to serve on the Celina chamber board in August, 2011.
He owns and operates a small marketing company called Pajamas Marketing. He said the unofficial motto for the chamber moving forward is “Value for our members.”
“We're focusing now on promoting our members and giving them more opportunities to network,” he said.
That will be easier to do now in the chamber's new office space on the square. Members will be able to hold small events or even meetings in the new space on Walnut in downtown Celina.
“The businesses have to get ready for the growth that's coming to Celina,” Whiteman said.
One project he wants to start is for the chamber to offer short business courses for its members, such as a course in marketing.
The chamber now has regular hours. He will be in the chamber office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon. He encouraged people to drop in to chat and see the new chamber space.
The next chamber mixer will be held on Thursday, April 19 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Grace Bridge Food Bank across the street from the chamber office.
Whiteman and the chamber are asking everyone to bring a donation of canned goods to the mixer for the Grace Bridge Food Bank.
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