New chamber chief takes over

NAPLES — John Cox, a North Carolina economic development executive with a record of attracting new businesses and helping existing ones expand, has been named president and CEO of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce.

Cox, who will also lead the chamber affiliates Leadership Collier Foundation and The Partnership for Collier's Future Economy, starts Aug. 19. He succeeds Michael Reagen, who is retiring as CEO of the chamber after 11 years.

Most recently, Cox served as president and CEO of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce in Kannapolis, N.C. Cox also was president of the local economic development corporation in his county, which is home to the Charlotte Motor Speedway and the North Carolina Research Campus. During the past six years, he led initiatives to assist 16 local business expansions and helped recruit 20 new industries to the county.

“As our public and private sectors continue to explore opportunities for regional collaboration on economic development, the extensive expertise that John brings will add great value to those initiatives,” says Dudley Goodlette, chair-elect of the chamber's board of directors, in a statement.

Cox was the unanimous choice of the selection committee despite a candidate pool of more than 100 highly qualified local and national leaders, according to the chamber's statement.