Mark Kelly is first African American president of Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce

The Clarksville Area Chamber of Commerce recently held its 117th Annual Dinner & Gala, an event that highlighted the efforts and successes of the Chamber, its members, staff and volunteers, over the past year.

After dinner and the presentation of awards, the gavel was passed from outgoing President Paul Turner to incoming President Mark Kelly who is the first African American president of the organization, which was founded in 1905.

Kelly grew up on a tobacco farm in Lawrenceville, Va.

“My dad convinced me I could do better, and be better,” Kelly said. “I went to Hampton University in Hampton, Va. I won an ROTC scholarship, finished school and entered the U.S. Army as a 2nd Lieutenant in the infantry. I spent most of my 26-year career in logistics, working in supplies and services.”

Kelly says the best decision he ever made was marrying Valerie Hunter.

“I met Valerie in my junior year at Hampton,” Kelly said. “I played football. She was on the pep squad. In 1981 I made her my lifelong companion. Sometimes we men are slow learners, but that was a great decision. I picked a winner.”

While Kelly was still serving in the Army, Valerie got into the real estate business.

“Valerie is the realtor in the family,” Kelly said. “She started real estate in 1988, while we were stationed in northern Va. When we moved here from Fort Stewart, Ga., she created success for herself, and I joined her in the business after I got out of the military. We were together for 39 years. She passed on Nov. 7, 2020, seems like it was yesterday.”

Kelly continues to run Keller Williams Realty – Clarksville, and has still not quenched his desire to learn and grow in that business.

“I still have a business coach,” Kelly said. “I've learned an incredible amount from our coach through the years, on the art of running a real estate business. Through his coaching, we began to see this as a business, as opposed to the public perception of just being in sales. We met incredible agents around the country, brought their ideas back to Clarksville, and implemented them. Valerie and the Air Assault Team have had an incredible amount of success over the last 18 years or so.”

Kelly's involvement with the Chamber goes back two decades. In 2006 he was midway through his first of two terms with the Montgomery County Commission when he was asked to serve on the Chamber's board of directors.

“My first position was as secretary/treasurer,” Kelly said. “We have always been members of the Chamber, and active participants. The Chamber is good for business. It offers some really nice programs for small businesses. One of the challenges we face, is communicating to our membership, our investors, what the Chamber offers. I've found, in business, that one of my responsibilities as an owner is to find resources for my team members so they can be effective in their jobs.”

Kelly says the Chamber has great resources, but now feels that it's a 50/50 proposition.

“Our investors have to take advantage of those resources,” Kelly said. “I'm not sure they do so, fully. One of our challenges will be, seeing how we can do better helping our investors find value in their investment with the Chamber.”

When asked about his rise to the presidency, he gave some sage advice.

“You never say out loud what your aspirations are,” Kelly said. “Frankly, I aspired to be the president of the board, so, when the current president and immediate past president asked me if I would be interested, I was honored. And, honestly, I was looking for that next challenge.”

Kelly said he hopes to increase diversity in the Chamber.

"One way would be to increase the diversity of those in leadership positions, and those who are making decisions on behalf of our investors," Kelly said. “Another way, and I've thought about this a lot. I want us to do more on-site visits with our investors, at their convenience of course. Some small business owners might not need anything, they may just appreciate that we're checking on them. Other businesses may need some help.

He also addressed the significance of being the first African American president in Clarksville Chamber's 117-year history.

“I'm not sure I realized the magnitude of the moment until I heard the master of ceremonies welcome everyone to the 117th annual Gala,” Kelly said. “I knew that no African American had ever led the chamber. There is absolutely a responsibility that comes with this appointment.

“I think among all our minority communities – African American, Hispanic, Korean American, AAPI, people will be observing to see if I'm able to do the things I see as essential for the long-term health of the Chamber," he added. "The Chamber has always been available to any small business. My simple test of how much progress we've really made will be to look at the makeup of any workforce, and/or organization that serves the public. It's my belief that if we've truly made progress, and progress is ever evolving, we all should be striving to make our organizations, as best we can, look like our community.”

Kelly says his goal is to diversify the Chamber's board and committees.

“It's simplistic in nature, but I believe most people look to identify with things,” Kelly said. “We might not get them to join, but there's a great feeling inside when you walk into a business, and you can see it, and you say, wow, we are moving forward."

This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Kelly is first African American president of Clarksville Chamber of Commerce