Press release from Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce.

With decades of sales and media experience, Jones ready to take on challenge

A sales professional with more than a quarter-century of media and sales experience is set to become the new executive director of the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce.

Vickie E. Jones of Kinston was recently selected by the Chamber’s Board of Directors to replace Craig Hill, who had served in the role since Jan. 1, 2020. She’ll begin in the position on May 16 and work with Hill, who will formally retire May 31.

Chamber board president Becky Whittington said she knew replacing Hill — a Lenoir County legend who has served as a teacher, coach, school principal and county commissioner (among many other roles) — was going to be a challenge, but she and her board have extreme confidence in Jones.

“We knew right away (Jones) was the one to take over,” Whittington said. “Vickie loves Kinston and Lenoir County and her work history shows she has a proven set of skills to serve our community well and continue the growth of our Chamber.

“She is excited about her new role, and we are even more excited that she is coming on board.”

Hill also praised the Board’s decision to hire Jones.

“She has all the tools and the experience to be successful in this position,” Hill said of Jones. “Her knowledge and love of this community is exactly what this Chamber needs.”

That love of the Lenoir County community is what drove Jones to pursue the position.

“I love this community and I’m excited about serving it,” she said. “I want to do everything I can to help this community grow.”

Jones has an extensive background in sales and media, including stints as a sales executive with WRNS-FM; as general sales manager and a vice president/general manager with WNCT-TV; and as the director of sales for WCTI-TV. She also briefly worked for the local Chamber as the director of membership in 2016 and was most recently a financial advisor with LPL Financial before retiring in January 2021.

Among her goals in her first few months in the position, Jones said she wants to meet with every business and individual member of the Chamber. She said she’s also ready to take on the challenges facing the Chamber after the significant advances made by Hill and his staff.

“Since (Hill) has laid a great foundation, our biggest challenge is to continue to grow the membership,” Jones said. “This particular Chamber has a ton of opportunity in front of it. My job is to uncover that opportunity and to bring local people and businesses into the fold.”

Hill said he is proud of the accomplishments he and his staff have made in his tenure as the Chamber’s executive director.

“Our goal was to restore the integrity of the Chamber and I feel we’ve done that by serving the membership and this community,” Hill said. “I’m really proud of the efforts and success we had during COVID, to keep this organization functional and vital. I feel like we’ve been part of the solution rather than part of the problem.”

Jones said, “(Hill) has done a phenomenal job in so many ways — not only with the structure, but with the way the community feels about the Chamber.”