Appointed to Chair ACCE Economic and Community Development Advisory Council
Bentonville, AR (July 17, 2024) — James Bell, Vice President for Economic Development at the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce, has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), an association of over 9,000 professionals who work for and with more than 1,300 chambers of commerce. Additionally, he has been appointed to lead as Chair of ACCE’s Economic Development and Advisory Council.
Members of ACCE’s Board of Directors represent more than 50 organizations, including many of the world’s largest and most influential regional chambers of commerce.
“We are pleased to welcome James Bell to the ACCE Board of Directors and as Chair of the Economic and Community Development Advisory Council,” said Sheree Anne Kelly, ACCE President & CEO. “James’s expertise and leadership will be invaluable as we continue to optimize our industry’s opportunities and leverage the ever-growing momentum for innovation, catalytic leadership and economic vitality within our communities.”
Bell has served in his capacity as Vice President for Economic Development at the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce since 2020, where he is also host of The Bentonville Beacon Podcast. In 2023, he was elected to the Board of Directors for Arkansas Economic Development and Chamber Executives (AEDCE), representing Arkansas’s 3rd Congressional District. He additionally serves as a Founding Board Member of BioArkansas and as a Leadership Advisory Council Member for Entrepreneurship for All Northwest Arkansas (EforAll NWA).
“James Bell has consistently demonstrated outstanding leadership and innovative approaches in driving economic development initiatives in our area,” said Brandom Gengelbach, President & CEO of the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce. “His election to the ACCE Board of Directors and appointment as Chair of ACCE’s Economic and Community Development Advisory Council are testaments to his unwavering dedication, strategic acumen and professional expertise.”
The mission of ACCE is to support and develop chamber professionals to lead businesses and their communities. ACCE identifies and analyzes trends affecting communities, shares best practices and develops benchmarking studies, in addition to providing other tools to help chamber leaders manage and improve operations at their organization and achieve the highest impact in their communities.