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Tracey Salter is the executive director of the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce and this week’s Greenville Advocate Hero of the Week. She has led the chamber since April 2018 and plays a pivotal role in the community’s growth and development by fostering both business success and a vibrant quality of life in Greenville.

Salter began her career with Greenville Newspapers, LLC in 1999 and climbed through the ranks from a marketing sales representative to the role of president and publisher. Her experience in the newspaper industry gave her a strong foundation for her work with the Chamber, where she now oversees a membership of over 400 businesses and organizations.

“I loved [working] at the paper. Ink is in my blood but it’s very hectic,” Salter said. “I was already really involved with the chamber on different committees and working on community projects, so [shifting to a career with the Chamber] was a good fit and it just worked out perfectly.”

Salter’s work extends beyond the Chamber, as she also serves on the council for Mid South RC&D, the Butler County Achiever Award Scholarship Committee, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes Central Alabama advisory committee and the Butler County Commission for Economic Development board. 

Adam Keith, president of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, praised Salter’s leadership and dedication.

 “I think she’s fantastic,” Keith said. “We’ve never had the membership we have now. She’s all about local. Her and Courtney [Rudowski] are just really a great team.”

Under Salter’s direction, the Chamber organizes a variety of local events, including Camellia CityFest, Celebrate America, Downtown Trick-or-Treat and the city’s annual Christmas Parade. 

“It’s great to see things like the concert series in the park and the food trucks,” Keith added. “She’s just so community-minded. She’s always coming up with new ideas, just getting people in the community to come together. We’ve got CityFest coming up, and she’s got over 50 vendors for that. Those people don’t just show up; she puts in the work.”

A passion for her work is evident in Salter’s enthusiasm for the Chamber’s Youth Ambassador program, which mentors 10th-, 11th- and 12th-grade students.

“Seeing them go through the program and become part of the community, then they go off to college or wherever they go and come back home. It’s great,” Salter said.

Reflecting on her time at the Chamber, Salter expressed gratitude for her role.

“I’m really just blessed that I get to work at the Chamber and do what I love. There’s never a day where I just don’t want to be here. It’s not something I have to do. It’s something I get to do,” she said.

Salter said her commitment to the community is encapsulated in her belief in giving back. 

“It is so important, whether you own or manage or are just part of a business, to pay your civic rent,” she said. “If you want your community to thrive, you’ve got to give back. A community is only as strong as its members and it’s the great people that make Greenville so unique.”

Salter, who considers herself a Greenville native after moving to the city at a young age, lives in Greenville with her husband Daniel. The couple has three sons, Ryan, Andrew and Elijah, as well as three grandchildren.