Colleyville Area Chamber hires president

The Colleyville Area Chamber of Commerce has hired Brendon Payne as its new president.

Payne started on Dec. 1 for the organization that serves businesses in the city and beyond including Grapevine and Hurst.

“Brendon brings a wealth of experience in the chamber profession and we welcome him back to this area,” said board chair Eric Cook via press release. “He is eager to meet and get to know our members and the community.”

Payne has worked for various chambers for 25 years including time as the president/CEO of the Greenville Chamber of Commerce and executive director of the Northwest Tarrant Chamber in Lake Worth. Before that, he worked as the Saginaw Area Chamber of Commerce’s president, where the organization boomed in membership.

Payne said he is happy to return to Tarrant County and was intrigued by the Colleyville area businesses.

“I love this community,” he said. “It’s powerful, thriving and there is so much going.”

He said his role is to facilitate the chamber’s goal of servicing the area’s businesses’ needs.

“The Chamber is the only organization that takes care of the business community,” he said.

Some of those needs are allowing businesses to network, engage and work alongside one another.

One of the challenges he mentioned was the economic growth in this area and what that means for existing businesses.

“It is a good opportunity for us to educate and figure out ways to connect with customers,” he said. “Figuring all that out in a collective group.”

Another challenge, right on the Chamber’s office’s doorstep is the Texas 26 reconstruction. He said the Chamber will work with the city and Texas Department of Transportation to make sure the pain and impact is eased on Chamber members.

This story was originally published December 29, 2014 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Colleyville Area Chamber hires president."