LAURINBURG – Tonight ends Dean Nichols tenure as chairman of the Laurinburg-Scotland County Chamber of Commerce.
But the Laurinburg businessman said it feels like he is just getting started.
Nichols, owner of Nic’s Pic Kwik convenience stores, will talk about his year at the helm of the chamber when the organization holds its 78th annual membership meeting and awards dinner at the Highlands, beginning at 6 p.m.
During Nichols’ time as chair, the chamber has seen the addition of 14 new businesses in the past year like PetSense, K&K Scrubs, Zaxby’s, and Wekend Warrior Trade Company. The previous year also brought the expansion or renovation of 12 business large and small like DuPontPioneer and Carolina Hearts.
Nichols said he is proud of the new businesses and the positive impact they will have on the county.
“If a business decides to come to Scotland County, they are saying they believe in Scotland County,” Nichols said. “To expand or open a business they have to be sold on Scotland County.”
Nichols credits the achievements to the people involved with the day-to-day work of promoting Scotland County and Laurinburg.
“We’ve got a good chamber and an active board,” Nichols said. “The biggest thing is the volunteers, an amazing group of people that help us out.”
Nichols also expressed pride in having to 37 businesses join the chamber over the last year and he points to the efforts of chamber Executive Director Chris English in adding those members.
“Chris has done an outstanding job, and he just came on in the last year,” said Nichols. “Thirty-seven businesses are a testament to his work.”
The chamber has partnered with numerous entities in the county to entice business investments and promote tourism. Scotland Health Care System, Travel and Tourism Board, Scotland County Schools, The Economic Development Corporation, and the city of Laurinburg worked with the chamber to create the “On the Road in Scotland County” program with TV personality Cecil Chandler. The program covered 100 businesses and events in the county over a 46-week period last year.
According to English, the program has reached more than 1 million people with the potential to expand to 17 million during tourist season. English said he has received calls and emails from people who visited the Grand Strand, saw the segments, and wanted to know more about places like Wooly McDuff’s, General McArthur’s or the Lumber River.
“These people watch this show, see the uniqueness of Scotland County, and stop on their way back through,” English said.
Nichols said he would like to involve more county residents in the chamber. He said volunteers will find a variety of committee and projects to help with.
“You don’t have to own a business to be involved with the chamber,” he said. That’s in our mission statement, ‘to serve the members and community.”
During tonight’s banquet, Nichols will hand the chairman’s gavel to new chamber chairman John Ferguson, a retired businessman.
The chamber will hand out several awards including Volunteer of the Year and Business of the Year. Two citizen awards — the Dunbar/McCoy Quality of Life award and the Dormagen/McLean Community Youth Service Award will also be presented.
Motivational speaker Lt. Clebe McClary is the dinner’s guest speaker.
