After 11 years of service as executive director of the Petal Area Chamber of Commerce, Valerie Wilson knew there would never be a perfect time to call it a day on that career – but she recognized when would be the right time for her to retire from that position.
Last week, Wilson, who has served in that role since 2013, broke the news of her retirement to the chamber’s board of directors. She will continue to officially serve as executive director until July 31.
“It definitely entailed some mixed emotions – this has just been an immense privilege, and I’m really grateful for all the opportunities that this position has given me, and I’ve made some fabulous friends, acquaintances and connections,” Wilson said. “However, I’m definitely not getting any younger, and this job requires an immense amount of energy, and I’m finally feeling some of my age.
“And then the other thing that really was a ticking point was that I had lost one of my big brothers at the end of February, and it was definitely a wake-up call that I didn’t have enough time as I always thought I had, and that I had missed a lot of opportunities to visit and spend time with family and friends. When you work full-time, plus you have some evenings and weekends (where you work), you really start to hoard your time … and it can lead you to just not continuing your relationships as you should and not giving them enough attention.”
Prior to coming to Petal, Wilson lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy. She then attended Louisiana State University, where she competed on the gymnastics and track teams.
After she decided to pursue a career in athletic training, Wilson came to the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg to meet with the head of the athletic training program at the school. There, she earned a master’s degree in athletic administration and coaching.
While she was enrolled at Southern Miss, Wilson met her future husband, Vaughn, who at the time was the photographer for the university, after he took her picture for her campaign for homecoming court.
In 1982, the couple established a photo studio in Petal, at which Wilson worked full-time, other than a three-year stint as director of Kips Gymnastics in Hattiesburg.
Wilson joined the chamber in April 2013, although she never expected to be there full-time or long term. As it turned out, she ended up taking over for long-time director Deborah Reynolds.
“I really came here just to help answer phones, since we had lost (Reynolds),” Wilson said. “I was familiar with the chamber and familiar with our work, so I had some time on my hands then, and I just never left.
“Vaughn and I had our photography studio for many, many years, and it was getting to the point where he was thinking of backing off a little bit, and being January and February, it was kind of slow at the studio. So I did actually have some time available, and then once stepping into it, I realized how much I enjoyed it, and I just had a passion to continue it.”
In her role as director as the chamber, Wilson is in charge of recruiting new members to the organization, as well as helping to maintain the success of current members.
“You have your whole member benefits side of the chamber that you operate on,” she said. “Then you have your community development side, which is promoting events, planning events for the community.”
That includes endeavors such as the Star-Spangled Celebration on the River, the city’s annual Christmas parade, the Veterans’ Day cookout and the Downtown FAM Jam. Then there’s the bookkeeping side of the position, along with budgeting expenses and public relations to promote the community to new businesses and residents.
“I think (what I’ll miss most) is my interaction with the different organizations and businesses, and the friendships we have,” Wilson said. “Like the Petal High School Ambassadors – I absolutely adore working with them, and maybe they’ll let me stay, because that is a special time.
“I enjoy all the events that allow me to meet with our business leaders in our community, and with the other individuals that are trying to promote not just Petal, not just Hattiesburg, but Forrest County and southeast Mississippi. I love working with them in order to provide the best opportunities for our kids, and the ones that are coming behind us, to make sure that we’re keeping this region profitable and progressive, and a place where our kids want to stay and live and work.”
In her retirement, Wilson’s goals are to maintain a regular schedule at her local gym and continue her volunteer work with organizations such as the Petal Children’s Task Force, Petal Excel By 5, the Pine Belt Community Foundation, Homes of Hope for Children, Southern Pines Animal Shelter, Worthy Stables, the Petal Education Foundation, Hew Hope Animal Rescue and the Cosmopolitan Club.
“I would miss that (volunteer) work so much, so I will be staying on with as many boards as I can,” she said. “And then I plan to grow a lot of flowers – just a ton of flowers.”
The chamber’s board of directors are currently forming a search committee for Wilson’s replacement, and will release more details on the application process in the near future.
“Obviously, (Valerie’s) been an incredible asset to the city,” Mayor Tony Ducker said. “She is going to leave some big shoes to fill, so it’s very important that we get somebody that’s a good fit.
“I know Valerie has got a ‘can-do’ attitude, so she’ll still be around to help out and make this a smooth transition. But it’s a big position, especially at the point that we’re in, in this city. When you start talking about the resume and the things that Valerie has brought to the table, it’s just incredible.”
