Bringing Extensive Experience to Historic Role
Amber Batchelor, a veteran CEO and strategic alignment expert, was named President and CEO of the historic 100-year-old Sumter County Chamber of Commerce in Georgia. She is the first African American to lead the organization.
Batchelor has over 17 years of experience supporting businesses, municipalities and non-profits in her work with various chambers of commerce. She previously worked in Silicon Valley, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Florida.
Batchelor has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the HBCU Saint Augustine’s University and went on to study at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management while working on Capitol Hill.
Leading Through Economic Crisis
Most recently, Batchelor served as Director of the weVenture Women’s Business Center at Florida Tech University. She led the center’s pandemic response, helping hundreds of minority and women business owners survive through COVID-19’s economic impact.
Batchelor worked directly with the U.S. Small Business Administration to secure grants and provide vital business assistance. When pandemic budget cuts forced layoffs at her previous employer, Batchelor was quickly recruited by Florida Tech for her financial and consulting expertise.
Connecting With Her Roots
The Sumter County role brings Batchelor back to her family’s geographic roots. She named her boutique consulting firm, which she still operates, after her grandparents who were sharecroppers in the area.
“I am motivated daily by their contributions,” Batchelor explained. “My connection to supporting entrepreneurs and small business owners starts with them.”
She wants to empower local business leaders to “shape your history and set yourself up for success,” as she recently told a group of South Georgia Technical College students. Her goal is to continue the Chamber’s legacy for the next 100 years.
