Wilson Chamber of Commerce and Gig East Alliance fuel business innovation and growth
By Shappelle Marshall
As Wilson’s business community continues to grow, partnerships like the Gig East Alliance (GEA) are helping entrepreneurs and established companies spark innovation, strengthen connections, and drive economic development. The Wilson Chamber of Commerce, a founding member of GEA, plays a central role as a trusted advocate for the region’s success.
Founded in 1897, the Wilson Chamber of Commerce is the only fully-staffed chamber of commerce in Wilson County. Its mission is to build a market where businesses prosper, serving the greater Wilson area, including Black Creek, Elm City, Saratoga, Stantonsburg, Lucama, Sims, and parts of Kenly, Bailey, and Sharpsburg. With more than a century of leadership, the Chamber adds credibility to Wilson’s evolving business landscape.
“We have a track record of success and credibility that businesses trust,” said Ryan Simons, president of the Wilson Chamber of Commerce. “I think that legacy is a strong accompaniment to the more innovative and cutting-edge business support that other partners within the GEA can offer.”
By combining tradition with new ideas, the Chamber’s work creates opportunities for businesses of every size, aligning closely with GEA’s goals.
“While our missions are unique, every member of the GEA has the same objective: to foster an inclusive ecosystem that supports the development of private enterprise in Wilson,” said Simons. Through GEA, organizations can share resources, address challenges, and avoid duplication, ultimately benefiting entrepreneurs and established companies alike.
Wilson’s collaborative spirit is key to the community’s growth. “Private enterprise, government, education providers, and nonprofits have made it a custom to set aside personal agendas for the sake of cooperative market development,” Simons noted. “That dynamic is rare, and Wilson seems to do it better than most places, especially for a community of our size.”
The GEA formalizes that collaboration, strengthening the city’s foundation to support businesses as it grows. “Business success doesn’t happen by accident,” Simons said. “Established companies thrive because the market conditions here allowed them to take root.”
By continuing to invest in the local market, long-standing companies help make Wilson even more supportive of emerging entrepreneurs.
While the Chamber’s mission is rooted in Wilson, Simons believes its impact can extend across the region.
“If we set an example for what productive community partnership should be and model what true collaboration can accomplish, I’m certain our neighbors will take notice and attempt to replicate our success,” he said. “When that occurs, I hope they consult with the Chamber and other members of the GEA to learn more about what it takes for market development efforts to work.”
He encourages other chambers and business organizations to start with strong partnerships and build from there, noting that even small collaborations can spark larger community change.
Gig East, more than a physical space, nurtures innovation and economic development in Wilson and beyond. As a result, through partnerships like the one with the Chamber, Wilson is emerging as one of the most inventive and entrepreneurial rural communities in the world.