The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce on Thursday added a chief operations officer who will focus on business retention and expansion efforts, membership and business intelligence.
Jared Sloane, currently CEO and executive director of Accelerate DFW, an organization that provides resources and support for small businesses and entrepreneurs, was named to the position.
Sloane said he is looking forward to increasing the value of a chamber membership.
“We want our members to feel like they’re a valuable part of our community,” he said. “If members are happy and they feel excited, and they feel like they’re getting something for their time and money, they’re more likely to bring others to the table.”
Part of Sloane’s job description is to build up business intelligence, providing members with information that helps them succeed in their business.
“We want to provide information and awareness about trends and data, so they can understand the landscape so that they can make better, more informed decisions,” he said. “That creates new opportunities for businesses and really is what breeds a healthy business climate.”
Steve Montgomery, president, and CEO of the chamber, said Sloane’s small business background is important to the organization.
“Jared’s robust small business background, coupled with his innovative thinking and entrepreneurial spirit, make him a valuable addition to our team,” he said in a statement.
The move comes in a year of transition for the chamber. In mid-February, Brandom Gengelbach, president and CEO, left the organization after six years, three of those leading the organization. In April, Robert Allen, former head of the Texas Economic Development Corp., was named to lead the new Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, taking on the economic development work once handled by the chamber. In June, the chamber announced a new president and CEO, longtime business and government relations consultant Montgomery.
Sloane is past chairman of both the Fort Worth Building Standards Commission and the Arts Fort Worth board. He is an alumnus of Leadership Fort Worth and SteerFW and is a member of the Fort Worth Rotary Club.
Sloane’s official start date with the Fort Worth chamber is Aug. 28.
Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
Noncommercial entities may republish our articles for free by following our guidelines. For commercial licensing, please email hello@fortworthreport.org.
