St. Mary's Chamber Of Commerce Chair Jimmy Hayden Steps Down, Keeps Focus On The Community

St. Mary’s Chamber of Commerce Jimmy Hayden

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — Jimmy Hayden just wrapped his one-year term as the chair of the St. Mary’s Chamber of Commerce, an organization that supports local business and networking opportunities for people in the county. While Hayden won’t be serving on the board, he hopes to continue working in the community to support businesses and keep a local focus.

The Chamber of Commerce consists of 18 to 20 board members whose role is to advocate for business and bridge the gap between business and community. Part of their role is helping businesses connect with each other to boost the local economy. Hayden cited an example where a defense contractor and architect met at a networking event.

“That’s an opportunity to keep the business in the county,” Hayden said.

Hayden says that while he won’t be on the board anymore, he’s still looking forward to participating in networking events, especially the Chamber of Commerce’s after-hours meeting, which is a more casual meetup sponsored by local businesses. The most recent one was hosted by the Piney Point Lighthouse. Attendees can have drinks and food and get to know each other. The Chamber of Commerce also serves as a grassroots arm for local businesses and nonprofits and meets regularly while Maryland’s General Assembly is in session to advocate for members’ needs.

The Chamber of Commerce also isn’t limited to just business owners. Employees of larger businesses can join to gain skills and connections they might not necessarily be working toward at their jobs. Plus, it gets more people involved and interested in boosting the local economy. Most Chamber events are open to the public, and anyone interested can find a schedule on the website.

St. Mary’s Chamber of Commerce Business After Hours at Piney Point Lighthouse Museum

Hayden has lived in St. Mary’s County his whole life and is involved in plenty of other community projects. He’s dedicated to strengthening the community through business and vice versa and currently works as a realtor in the county.

“The goal is to make St. Mary’s a better place,” he said. “Even though it’s already the best place there is.”

Hayden advises his successor and the board to stay community-focused, listen to people and act on what they provide. He was succeeded as chair by Ryan Schlotterbeck as of July 1.