Curtis named Director of Twin Cities Chamber

In a majority vote of board members present, during the Sept. 28 meeting of the Board of the Twin Cities Chamber of Commerce, of Fulton, Ky. and South Fulton, Tenn. John C. Curtis was selected to fill the vacant position for the Chamber Director.

The interview committee interviewed several qualified candidates but upon discussion in the board meeting, the board voted to hire Curtis based on multiple factors.

“The board is excited to work with John to maximize the Chamber’s benefit to our businesses and to help grow our community,” said Sherry Cook-Pyatt, Chamber Board President.

Chamber Hours will be posted within the next two weeks, Cook-Pyatt said and the Director will begin business visits one to two days a week.

Curtis began his employment officially on Monday.

Curtis is the son of John and Karon Curtis of Paducah. He located to Fulton with his parents and sister, at a young age, when his father was the preacher at Parkway church of Christ.

He attended Carr Elementary and then finished the remainder of his middle and high school years at South Fulton, graduating from South Fulton High School in 2002.

He attended Freed Hardeman University and then graduated as a 4.0 Honor Graduate from Bethel University in McKenzie in 2011.

Throughout his adult career, he has served in law enforcement, graduating from the Police Academy in 2006, worked in the fields of emergency services as a Paramedic and also served on both the Fulton and South Fulton Fire Departments. He has served previously as the Youth Minister at South Fulton’s Smith Street church of Christ.

Currently he resides in Paducah and commutes to the Twin Cities, as Curtis has opened a small business in Fulton, Frontline Promotions and Embroidery, at 323 Carr St., a location which he shares with good friend and former SFHS classmate Daniel Thomas, at HD Graphics.

Curtis said he looks forward to meeting one-on-one with business owners and operators in the Twin Cities, and listening to their ideas, challenges and successes. He hopes to be able to utilize services to aid the development and expansion of small businesses in the community, through resources such as the Small Business Development Center in Paducah, a free service facilitated through the University of Kentucky.

He said he knows first hand, there are obstacles in small business operations and is eager to learn more from those who have had the same experiences in business, as well as the current Chamber Board members.

“I like seeing all the positivity and unity between the Twin Cities right now. I believe good things are happening here at this time because the community is working together and I want to be a part of that. This feels like home to me, and I knew I wanted to start a business here. I hope to be able to eventually move here, as well,” Curtis said.