Much to Look Forward To

Written By: Sarah Jennings, Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce | Issue: March 2024

2024 Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce Officers and Directors

The winter season on the Plateau creates a quiet and calm that gives one time to reflect on the past.

The Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce has experienced much change since the sudden unexpected passing of Executive Director, Thomas Taulbee, in November just a few days before the annual Christmas Parade. Despite the unfortunate circumstances, our community rallied together to produce a well-executed event amidst the sudden loss of the parade director and constant mist and rain throughout the weekend. So many stepped up in honor of Thomas and executed despite the many challenges. It was a bright spot in an otherwise solemn time and as Thomas would have wanted us to do, the business of the CACOC continued.

With the new year came the annual transition to an updated board of directors.

Recently, the membership of the CACOC elected a new slate and welcomed three new board members. We are thrilled to have Serenity Richards of the Albert Carlton Library. Kristina Newsom, owner of Specialties Plus NC, and Rich Price, Director of Economic Development and Regional Partnerships for Western Carolina University join the board. Both Serenity and Kristina are graduates of the Leadership Cashiers program, while Rich has worked closely with the Chamber in his previous role as Economic Development Director for Jackson County.

The membership also voted in a new executive committee with Ashton Harris, General Manager/COO of The Country Club of Sapphire Valley, taking the helm as President. He is supported by Sarah Jennings, as President-Elect, Brandy Letson as Treasurer, Ben Harris as Past-President Elect and Susan Gregory as Secretary. The Chamber is extremely grateful to Susan who has been integral in keeping operations running smoothly over the last few months.

The Chamber has much to look forward to in 2024. We are actively in the process of hiring to fill the full-time position within our organization spurred by Thomas’ passing in addition to bringing on a new software program to modernize many of our administrative and marketing processes.

Events like Burger Week, Leadership Cashiers and the annual Cashiers Christmas Parade will surely be high points of the year while we continue the mission of advocating for our local business community by providing extraordinary leadership. There are times when loss can create unanticipated opportunities and we look forward to seeing what lies ahead at the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce.

2024 Officers and Directors: Ashton Harris, President, Country Club of Sapphire Valley; Sarah Jennings, President-Elect, Cashiers Valley Real Estate; Brandy Letson, Treasurer, Cashiers Valley Pharmacy; Susan Gregory, Secretary, Cashiers Area Chamber, on-going; Ben Harris, Past-President-Elect, Harris Custom Builders; Glenn Ubertino, Emeritus, Zoller Hardware; Kristina Newsom, Specialties Plus of NC, VP; Richard Price, Western Carolina University, VP; Serenity Richards, Leadership Cashiers Liaison, Albert Carlton – Cashiers Community Library, VP; Oscar Alcantar – Alcantar Painting; Stephanie Edwards, Daniel Communities – Cashiers Lake, VP; Daniel Fletcher, Hotel Cashiers, 2026; Lec Hobbs, Highland Hiker/Cashiers, 2025; Johannes Klapdohr, The Library Kitchen & Bar, 2026; Garrett Taylor – Taylor’d Designs, VP 2024.