After twenty-three years running the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce, Pat Pomeroy is retiring.

“If I can’t be in charge, I don’t want the job.”

That was Pat’s reply when a Board member called, offering her the job of Administrative Assistant at the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce.

The year was 2000. Pat, a former small-business owner herself, and her husband Bill had moved into the Upstate six months before.  They had previously lived in North Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, and Tennessee.  She had been working for the Fountain Inn Chamber of Commerce during that time.

The Board member hesitated – and said he would call her back.

And he soon did call back:  the Board had accepted her terms.  She got the job.

A Job?

But what kind of job was it?  The Mauldin Chamber of Commerce’s treasury was empty.  There were unpaid bills in the drawer of her desk.

She had been looking for a part-time job.  It became a full-time job, with many exciting challenges.

When Pat began working for the Chamber In 2000, the Chamber had only fifty members.  

Fast forward to today

Today, the Mauldin Chamber of Commerce has a much larger membership of 375 members and a very strong working relationship with the City and the Mauldin community.  

That success has been very rewarding for Pat.  She understands the difficulties and sacrifices which business owners encounter.  Her efforts have been a great help to Mauldin businesses.  “I love being here.  I love walking in the door.  It is wonderful to watch the growth.”

Mauldin’s Chamber of Commerce is a leader of Greenville County when it comes to promoting local businesses.  That is why about half of the businesses which have joined Mauldin Chamber are located outside Mauldin’s city limits.  

“We have to be friends.”

It was not always so.  In 2000, the City and the Chamber did not exactly have the best of relationships.  Pat broke the ice, visiting everyone in City Hall, and explaining that she was going to make the effort to work with each one, in order to attract businesses to Mauldin.  

Since then, Pat has worked with five Mayors.  The Chamber and the City now have a very good working relationship, which she finds very rewarding.

She has initiated many new programs, including  ribbon cuttings for new businesses, Business Before- and After-Hours, Lunch and Learns, Job Fairs,  and at Christmas time, the Tree Lighting, Breakfast with Santa, and the Christmas Parade.  

Under Pat, the Chamber of Commerce has become Mauldin’s Welcome Center; she has introduced the weekly “Eblast” event and information emails, developed an annual directory for members and for newcomers to the Mauldin area, and introduced many more programs to improve the Chamber and the community.

Who is Pat Pomeroy?

Pat Pomeroy started out as a stay-at-home mom.  As she puts it, “We wanted our kids to be the smartest kids.”  

Pat and Bill have a daughter and a son, and clearly, the acorns have not fallen far from the tree.  

Their daughter is a teacher in Tennessee, who has also set up an organization to save horses from the slaughter house, selling them at auction to new owners all over the U.S.  

Their son has been a criminal defense attorney, and is now a Superior Court Judge in North Carolina.  According to Pat, he has just begun his second eight-year term of office.  He also has a degree in education:  when his current term on the bench ends, his plans for the future include teaching law at a college.  

Her husband Bill is a retired IT executive.  Bill has been a huge contributor to the Chamber, supporting the ribbon-cuttings, keeping membership rolls up to date, putting together the Chamber’s Annual Directory, and much more.  Pat feels Blessed to have her husband as her best Chamber volunteer.  

Years of Enjoyment

It is clear to anyone who has worked with Pat that she has very much enjoyed her time with the Chamber, helping Mauldin’s business community and meeting new Mauldin residents relocating to the area each day.

More importantly, she has made many friends over the years, many of whom will continue to be friends for a lifetime.

Pat and Bill will be moving to North Carolina.  It should surprise nobody that she looks forward to finding her place in her new community.

As she leaves the Chamber, she would like to thank everyone for their support over the years.●