Today we’d like to introduce you to Ely Jones.
Hi Ely, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Thanks for the opportunity. My name is Ely Jones, and I’m the current President of the Nashville Junior Chamber, a local non-profit that we think of as a landing spot for all of Nashville’s Young Professionals to get plugged into the community and expand their network. I will say that joining the Nashville Junior Chamber was one of the best decisions I’ve made since moving to Nashville in 2014. After being stuck in a rut/quarter-life crisis for a while, I got involved back in 2017 as a method to meet new people and try new things. Not only did the NJC help me accomplish that, it also gave me a sense of belonging and purpose within the Nashville community along with the ability to grow personally and professionally. As someone who naturally was always more of a follower than a leader, I would have never in a million years thought of myself as a leader. However, thanks to getting involved in the NJC and serving on the Board of Governors my peers elected me as the 101st President and for that I truly am grateful. The NJC pushed me to get out of my comfort zone, and I hope we can continue to inspire others to do the same for many years to come. My term as President ends June 30, 2022, but I am committed to being as involved as I can in future.
A little more about the Nashville Junior Chamber… We are Nashville’s oldest young professional organization serving anyone ages 21-40 regardless of background or profession. Our Mission is to develop our members personally and professionally by maximizing our individual and collective potential. As an organization, we center around these 4 principles to better serve our members: Development, Inclusivity, Community, and Engagement. We are 100% volunteer-led with 23 Board members and ~200 active members. We support various local charities with an emphasis this year on the Special Olympics of TN. Our major events include the Ragin’ Cajun Crawfish Boil (April 30 – https://www.nashvillejuniorchamber.org/ragin-cajun-crawfish-boil), NJC Gala, Network Nashville, Fall Golf Invitational, and Pitch Nashville.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Since we offer so much and create so many amazing events, being President is a lot because at the end of the day you are responsible and accountable for keeping the organization afloat and continuing forward amongst all the moving pieces. Overall it’s been smoother than most thankfully, but I would say my biggest challenges are 1) sticking true to myself and doing what I believe we need to do as an organization to succeed regardless of the outside noise and 2) overcoming the constant feeling of imposter syndrome. Being one of only a few Black Presidents of the NJC over our 101-year history can tend to make you feel like you don’t belong when meeting/interacting with prominent Nashvillians, but I’m a firm believer of everything happens for a reason and that belief reminds me that I was meant to lead this organization at this time for a reason. Of course, I couldn’t do this without the support of our amazing Board. They truly are the real MVPs and drive me to strive to make us better every day.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Professionally, I’m a Sr. Project Manager at MARS and have been with the business for 2.5 years. I’ll be soon transitioning from the PEDIGREE® brand to working on exciting new innovation for GREENIES®. Prior to that, I worked at Nissan North America for 6.5yrs in various roles and have my MBA from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide). I’d say I’m probably most known for my approachability and ability to listen/relate to others. Shoutout to me being an Enneagram 9.
Pricing:
- $250 membership dues 1st year, $200 every year after that
- $85 Ragin’ Cajun Crawfish Boil (All you can eat and drink/live music)
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.nashvillejuniorchamber.org/
- Instagram: @nashjrchamber
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nashvillejuniorchamber
- Twitter: @NashJrChamber
