NASHVILLE, TN — Founded in 1998, by Mrs. Rosetta Miller Perry, the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce is 
poised to serve more business owners with an updated vision, mission, look, and new board leadership.
Susan Vanderbilt, principal at Entrée Savvy, is the new chair for the Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors. DeWayne Scott, CEO at SRS, Inc., is the new vice chair. Vanderbilt succeeds former chair Robin Dunlap. Vanderbilt and Scott will lead the board in its new direction. Carolyn Waller will continue as president.
“I am honored to serve the Greater Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce as the Chair of
the Board of Directors,” Vanderbilt said. “I am excited about our new direction and am looking forward to the opportunity to help Black business owners position themselves to create more jobs and wealth within our community.”
In addition to the board leadership change, and as the chamber gears up to celebrate its 20-year anniversary, the Chamber’s vision is to become the preeminent resource for African-American businesses in the Nashville area to connect, learn, grow, and prosper.
The organization’s updated mission is to empower and encourage prosperity for Nashville’s
African-American businesses by: connecting businesses and business professionals with worthwhile partnerships that lead to economic advancement; developing businesses that are successful, sustainable, and scalable; providing businesses with economic opportunities that allow them to create jobs and wealth; and leading on policy initiatives that cultivate an economic environment for businesses to thrive.
The Chamber will deliver on the promises in its mission and vision statements by introducing new programmatic, networking, and civic engagement opportunities, as well as providing its members with exclusive benefits, Waller said.
The Nashville Black Chamber of Commerce is the membership of choice for African-American businesses and business professionals in the Nashville Metropolitan Area. Founded in 1998, the Chamber is designed so that business owners are able to take their businesses to new heights by connecting with the right networks, staying abreast of industry trends and tools, creating sustainable jobs, and advocating for business-friendly economic changes.
To learn more about the Chamber’s new direction, make plans to attend its upcoming networking event, The Social. The Social will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 24 at Synovus Bank, located at 1033 Demonbreun Street in the Gulch.
