By Suzanne Schmidt
Staff Writer
WESLEY CHAPEL — The Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce heads in a new direction with its new executive director David West.
Social media sites like YouTube and Facebook have become very popular which is why West is planning to use those sites to promote the chamber.
“I see this as a wave of the future,” West said. “I want this chamber to be a leader. I am looking to be innovative and cutting edge.”
One way he is working to promote businesses is to film a five-minute video about a business and post it on YouTube , in addition to the chamber’s web site. For people who missed the chamber functions, West is also making videos of the functions and posting them on the chamber’s site.
“The goal is to help businesses prosper so this is a good way to promote what a business focuses on,” West said. “The idea is to let people meet the owners of businesses and to feel like they know them. My goal is to do every business in the chamber.”
Cindy Fleming, president of the chamber, said she really likes the new direction the chamber is taking.
“I think it is something the chamber needs to keep up with,” Fleming said. “We are moving in a direction we have never gone before. The videos he is creating on the businesses are incredible.”
Fleming said she thinks West will bring a lot to the job because of his stature in the community.
“He is a well-known person in the business community,” Flemming said. “He has been around here for so long. He is a trusted individual, which is important for our members to have faith in leadership. As president, I am excited to have him on board.”
West said he considers himself to be a connector.
“I spend all day connecting people with solutions to their problems,” West said. “It is what I do all the time. Sometimes I get paid and sometimes I don’t.”
Before starting the job at the chamber, West was on the board of directors at the Dade City, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills Chambers. Now that West has the job at the Wesley Chapel chamber, he will be leaving all the other boards. Now he can just focus on Wesley Chapel.
“I have a million things I want to do,” West said. “This town is up and coming with a high energy big city feel. I think there are great opportunities here.”
The road West took to eventually end up at the chamber was a long and winding one. He started out as a preacher when he was in high school preaching his first sermon when he was only 15. He went on to get his bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies at Florida College in Temple Terrace.
He has since preached at Dundee Church of Christ in Polk County, Trilacoochee Church of Christ and he has been at Dade City Church of Christ for 15 years.
“When I got to Dade City Church of Christ, I decided I didn’t want to be one of those preachers that just stays in the office,” West said. “I wanted to be out in the community working. I was ready to learn what it is like to work for a living.”
West said he plans to approach his job at the chamber the same way he approaches his job as a preacher.
“I want people to eventually become self sufficient,” West said. “I like to help develop people to make them more independent so I can find more people to help. The goal at the chamber is to develop people into becoming board members and chairs of the organization.”
Through the years, he started a career in journalism with a job first at Pasco News where he did everything but print the East Pasco Business Focus, a monthly tab.
Then he became the community relations manager for Pasco and Hernando counties at The Tampa Tribune. After he was laid off in November 2008, he started looking for another job. After working for a while as a business assistant specialist at the Health Department, he ended up at the chamber.
“I never had training for any of the jobs I ever had,” West said. “I have just done a lot of things and I am a quick learner.”
In addition to all of his job experience, West also brings with him to the job his extensive experience working with organizations like the Rotary, The Toastmasters Club, The Pasco Boys and Girls Club and Morningstar Fishermen.
He has helped to start seven Rotary clubs in the area including one pilot project on-line rotary club for people in the Southeast United States and the Caribbean. For information on the club, visit rotaryclub34.org.
“It is great because it reaches out and allows more people to be involved in the Rotary,” West said. “They are good for people who are unable to attend a weekly meeting who either do too much travel or for people who have disabilities and can’t get out. It is also useful for club members who miss a meeting to be able to get credit.”
Most recently he began a Toastmaster club in Wesley Chapel because he said it is a very useful skill for people to learn.
“It is a very supportive environment,” West said. “It is a great way to get comfortable speaking in front of people. People can learn many valuable business skills. We all like to talk, it is just hard to do in front of a crowd.”
For more information, visit www.wesleychapelchamber.com.
