Rebecca Dickenson, President & CEO, Chatham Chamber of Commerce
In an interview with Invest:, Rebecca Dickenson, president and CEO of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, discussed how Chatham County is preparing for growth while preserving its local character. Dickenson emphasized collaboration, workforce development, and the chamber’s role in connecting businesses, residents, nonprofits, and policymakers. “When our businesses are successful, our entire community benefits,” Dickenson said.
What changes over the past year have had the greatest impact on the chamber, and how have they shaped your priorities as president and CEO?
Chatham County is experiencing growth. I’m new to leadership here at the Chatham Chamber, having started on April 1, 2025, and this organization is focused on serving our members and our community well while ensuring businesses have a seat at the table.
We are working intentionally with member companies, elected officials, and partner organizations to grow and diversify the tax base, expand housing options, and realize the incredible opportunities with the development of Chatham Park.
We are creating an organization that is ready for the next level of growth in Chatham.
What are local business owners most focused on today as they plan for growth in a fast-changing county?
We really want to preserve the character of our towns and our county, and local businesses are key to community character. We are fortunate to have strong, multigenerational family businesses, agriculture, tourism, and advanced manufacturing.
We also have a strong local community of makers, creators, and artists that is integrated into almost everything being built here. New investments in Chatham help enhance that character and support what has already been built here over generations.
What opportunities do you see for stronger collaboration between businesses, local government, education partners, and community organizations such as yours?
Right now, the chamber is working hard to build open communication with policymakers around what the local business community needs and how their decisions impact investment. We are leaning into communication, education, collaboration, and convening.
The chamber has established a government affairs committee and hired a government affairs director. Our members and team are working to ensure the diverse businesses across Chatham County are aligned to advance what is most important for the community. Then we look at how we present that on a one-on-one basis to local elected officials and make sure that at the town, county, state, and federal levels, everyone understands what those decisions mean to all parties here in the county.
What workforce needs are becoming more urgent for employers across the county?
From small to large employers, we lean on Central Carolina Community College to train candidates for many of the career pathways. Healthcare and senior care are at the top of the talent demand list in our community right now. We’re lucky to have the leadership and partnership Central Carolina provides. Central Carolina Community College covers multiple counties, and it does it extremely well.
What opportunities are you most excited about for the county and the chamber over the next three to five years?
Our projected population growth in Chatham is a huge responsibility, but also a huge opportunity. Our nonprofit organizations are interested in building relationships with new residents, getting them involved with the work being done on the ground, and helping make this place home.
Our employers are excited about new customers and potential new employees.
We are working hard to make sure that as people move to Chatham, they quickly feel at home and have access to the services they need right here.
To help familiarize more people with all the exciting things happening countywide, we have launched a new bus tour called This is Chatham. We have also seen more new residents enroll in our longstanding Leadership Chatham program because they want to learn about the place they now call home.
Ultimately, we serve our members, but residents being part of the community means so much to the future success of that community. In three to five years, if employers know they have a trusted advocate in the chamber, if entrepreneurs know they have a community that supports them, and if new businesses relocating here quickly find the connections they need to be successful, then we have done our job to make it a cohesive place where people can raise their families, invest in the future, build a business, and enhance the quality of life.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I would love for everyone to understand what an exciting moment we are in in Chatham County and how focused our leadership is on shaping our community for the next generation.
As a chamber, we are committed to making sure businesses have a seat at that table in shaping that future. When our businesses are successful, and when our nonprofits are successful, our entire community benefits. That is the future we are really working to build here.
