Sarah Finnegan
April Stone - South Shelby Chamber of Commerce
In Shelby County, April Stone is known for what she does best: facilitating connections.
“It’s about creating those opportunities for people to meet the people they need to meet,” she said. “It’s about making people aware of what all is out there.”
Stone, who has been the executive director of South Shelby Chamber of Commerce for the last three and a half years, considers Shelby County her one and only home. She has been living there since she was 11 years old, where she used to dream of one day being a TV broadcaster. She got her bachelor’s in mass communications at the University of Montevallo.
Now, even though people in the community recognize her face, it’s not as a local newscaster. Instead, it’s as someone who facilitates relationships through the chamber.
“I’ve been amazed at the connections I’ve been able to help make,” Stone said. “My favorite thing to hear is, ‘Oh, yes, I was at one of your events, and I met someone, and they ended up being a client.’”
Her interests first began to shift in college. As she progressed through her degree, she said she fell in love with writing and eventually, during her senior year, was editor for the college paper, The Alabamian.
She then graduated and worked briefly for a local newspaper and got the opportunity to work in broadcasting. After a two-and-a-half-year stint of working on air and a long 10 years dreaming of being in television, she changed her mind and realized that wasn’t what she wanted.
Eventually, she started researching local job opportunities and found the Shelby Chambers of Commerce. She liked the idea of being around people and making a difference in a not-for-profit setting. In 2002, she began working for the Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce, where she worked for 11 years. The next step was becoming executive director of the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce.
Today, her day to day job usually varies. But some essential aspects of her role are constant, like making sure that the Chamber is fluid enough to be an ongoing benefit and priority to all of the various members as they change and grow.
Stone works with six different cities. She’s made a point to make time to ask each of the leaders of each city to pinpoint exactly what she can do to help facilitate connections.
In addition, she continuously recruits new members that could benefit from the chamber luncheons. Stone is also one of the leaders that is in the process of trying to bring residential development to the community. Like she said, rooftops follow retail.
“That brings business. That brings jobs. That brings new tax revenue for the city. So, it’s a win-win-win across the board,” Stone said.
In the recent years, she said, social media has been a wonderful outlet for small businesses and for quickly communicating with members about networking events like the luncheons.
As for the future, Stone said she is excited for Shelby County as a whole. She plans to continue her career with the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce and, as always, connect the many growing businesses and people in her Shelby County home.
► WHERE: 208 E. College St., Columbiana
► CALL: 669-9075
► WEBSITE: southshelbychamber.com
