OK. We got the press release.
The Knoxville Chamber will be headed by Mike Odom, a man who may or may not have ever been in Knoxville. Odom is now president/CEO of the Round Rock (Texas) Chamber. He succeeds Mike Edwards, who retired.
Odom was chosen by a five-person selection committee comprised of past and present members of the Chamber’s board of directors. The committee executed a nationwide search that resulted in more than 100 interested applicants.
Board chair Terry Turner says Odom will bring “a fresh perspective” to the Chamber.
Odom is a chamber veteran, having served as the president and CEO of the Round Rock Chamber since June 2014 with previous stints at the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber.
During his tenure at Round Rock, the organization announced economic development projects that generated or retained over 4,700 new jobs and secured more than $800 million in capital investment; increased membership revenue by 38 percent; collaborated with local education partners to enhance certification programs for skilled trades; and earned Chamber of the Year honors in 2018, according to the release.
Odom plans to relocate to Knoxville this summer with his wife and son.