Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Awarded Prestigious National Chamber of the Year Award

The Jackson Chamber’s VP of Community & Business Engagement Melissa Burgett, Director of Internal Operations Kelly Sharrer, President & CEO Ryan Tarrant and VP of Marketing & Communications Rachel Buchanan accepting the award.  Courtesy photo.

(July 27, 2026 11:34 AM ET) The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce has been named the 2026 Category Two Chamber of the Year, presented by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE). ACCE is an association based in Alexandria, VA., with over 1,600 chambers of commerce and related business and economic development organizations as members, representing more than 9,000 professionals in the industry.

The award, sponsored by GrowthZone, is the most prestigious and competitive award in the chamber industry, recognizing excellence in operations, member service and community leadership. Those honored with the Chamber of the Year designation have demonstrated organizational strength and impacted key community priorities, such as education, transportation, economic prosperity and quality of life.

Chamber of the Year winners were announced on Tuesday, July 21, during the Awards Show at ACCE’s Annual Convention in New Orleans, LA.

The Jackson Chamber is turning long-term vision into coordinated action through Drive Jackson, a strategic plan focused on quality of place, education, housing, economic vitality, public safety and community well-being. The award was based on the efforts of leadership of this project in Jackson County, which will impact development for the next 20 years.

“Chambers of Commerce have provided catalytic and unifying leadership for centuries around the world. To be recognized as the 2026 National Chamber of the Year is an incredible honor,” said Ryan Tarrant, President and CEO, Jackson Chamber. “But this is not only an award recognizing the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce team, it is shared by the work happening across Jackson County to implement Drive Jackson, the 20-year strategic vision that has already created more than $52 million in estimated economic impact over the next three years. We are thankful for the vision of our Board of Directors and the engagement in our community that allowed us to showcase all that Jackson County has to offer and are excited to continue building economic momentum in Jackson County.”