Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Jones named as chamber director

When Brandy Jones heard that the Prescott-Nevada Chamber of Commerce was seeking a new director, she thought the opportunity too good to be true.

I always thought that I wanted Marys job, Jones said of former chamber director Mary Godwin.

The position came open recently when Godwin took a job as director of the Nevada County Economic Directors Office.

Jones said she has lived in Prescott only for the past eight years but has enjoyed the events overseen by the chamber. Those events, according to Jones, are vital to a community.

Activities are important to the town, she said. It makes people want to come to, and live in, Prescott.

With an increased importance placed on quality of life issues, those events become things that can be touted when businesses and individuals are considering moving into the area. Its also vital to retain the areas current population, Jones said.

Jones, with one week on the job already, said shes made some important discoveries  including that the chamber office is responsible for the Prescott High Schools grand march coming up soon.

I had no idea how busy the chamber is, or what the chamber actually does, she said.

She had expected to be heavily involved with the annual Chicken and Egg Festival, which is set for the first weekend of June. She said she is very excited about that event  one of the largest of the chamber events for the year.

One of the biggest challenges, according to Jones, is the need to fulfill all the duties of director, but said there are bound to be some challenges.

One of those is Trying to fill Marys shoes, she said. Shes been there 11 years.

Jones said another major issue is that people are still looking for Godwin when they have issues dealing with the chamber. The fact that the EDO and chamber share an office building makes this even more complicated.

People call and automatically ask for Mary, Jones said.

She said she believes it will take time for people to realize that shes in the office.

Jones said shes still working to make the office space her own and that she has some ideas she wants to implement. One of those is a membership drive for the chamber. Jones said small business memberships are $150 a year and individuals are $25.

Jones is a former employee of Nevada County, having worked in the courthouse as deputy tax collector for five years before becoming a caseworker in the mental health industry for two years.

Jones lives on Rosston Road with her husband, Ben, who is employed by the City of Prescott. They have one daughter, Baylee, who is the current Nevada County Tiny Miss.