Following a nationwide executive search for a visionary leader to lead the Fayette County Chamber, the Chamber announced today that Leonardo McClarty, CCE, IOM has been selected as its new president and chief executive officer.
McClarty will take the helm of the Chamber on Monday, November 6. McClarty currently serves as the president and chief executive officer of the Howard County Chamber in Maryland where he has been responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the organization since 2014.
His specific duties, in this role, largely centered around organizational leadership, fiscal management, marketing and program management, public policy, and community relations.
Prior to serving Howard County, McClarty was the Director of Economic and Community Development for the City of York, PA where he was responsible for promoting the city to the private sector in efforts to foster economic investment and neighborhood redevelopment.
A native of the Atlanta area, McClarty served as the President/CEO of the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce for nearly 10 years.
A career chamber and economic development professional, McClarty has also worked for the City of Roswell, GA, DeKalb County, GA, and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs.
He holds an undergraduate degree in Political Science from Furman University and a graduate degree in City and Regional Planning from Clemson University.
He is a Certified Chamber of Commerce Executive (CCE) though the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), Certified Economic Development Finance Professional through the National Development Council (NDC) and is a graduate of the US Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management (IOM). He is also a proud graduate of Leadership Atlanta, Class of 2009.
McClarty is married to Shaneka McClarty, and they have three daughters, Sage and identical twins Sydney and Sarai.
The Chamber’s Board of Directors voted unanimously in favor of hiring McClarty. Jaimi Tapp, chair of the Chamber board, said “McClarty is a strategic, big-picture thinker with deep experience advocating for businesses of all sizes. Leonardo brings extensive experience spanning the public, private, chamber and economic development sectors to this role and has demonstrated that he has the vision and strategic focus to take the chamber to the next level and deliver on the mission of advocating for our members and our community.”
“We are pleased to have someone of Leonardo’s caliber to lead our Chamber into the future,” Dr. Alvetta Thomas, chair of the CEO Search Committee stated. “We welcome him and his family back to Georgia and to our community and feel that his leadership and passion for leading successful organizations along with his high level of energy will complement the Chamber’s program of work and challenge us to aim higher. Leonardo is an experienced collaborator, consummate industry leader, and true professional.”
The Chamber retained Anissa Starnes, IOM, Chief Impact Officer with YGM, LLC, to provide management and oversight for the national search, working with a committee of volunteers from the chamber’s membership. YGM specializes in executive searches for chambers of commerce.
As the Chamber’s President & CEO, McClarty will oversee the staff and will report to the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.
The President & CEO is responsible for providing overall leadership and management to the membership, board, staff, and volunteers in executing the respective missions of the Chamber organizations, along with financial management, marketing, membership development and fundraising, and overall office operations. The President & CEO implements the annual business plan to meet the objectives of the approved Strategic Plan.
“I am truly honored to have the opportunity to lead the Fayette Chamber,” said McClarty. “I feel as if my entire career trajectory has led me to this position at the right time. The Chamber’s work is vital to the business community and economic development, and I look forward to working with the Chamber’s board, members, volunteers, and staff to grow the organization and to promote the community and ensure the livelihood of all local businesses in Fayette County. On a personal note, I am also looking forward to bringing my family back to Georgia to be closer to our family members and to reconnect with so many friends and colleagues across the state.”
McClarty said his first priority would be to actively engage with the Chamber’s members to understand both their current needs and future needs and to meet as many people as possible to build the strong relationships needed to be successful as the leader of the chamber.
He succeeds Colin Martin, who announced his departure in March of this year to accept an external affairs management position with AT&T in Columbus, Ga. About the Fayette Chamber
The Fayette Chamber of Commerce, a 501c3 organization, is a volunteer-led, professionally managed partnership of businesses and organizations committed to a prosperous future for Fayette County. The organization accomplishes this by developing high-trust relationships with stakeholders, creating high-impact engagement opportunities for members, and cultivating leaders who can positively influence civic affairs. The Chamber currently has more than 700 member businesses.
