Karin Hopkins

Introducing Kelvin Stephens, the newest officer at the Tuskegee Area Chamber of Commerce. This past November, he was elected Secretary, replacing Fred Flowers who held the position for one term. Flowers, who voluntarily left his leadership role says he will remain active with the Chamber. The incoming Chamber Secretary will be installed on Monday, January 27, 2020 along with returning officers Loretta Alexander, Roland Vaughan and Bobby Davis. This team will govern the Chamber for the next two years. Stephens has deep roots in Tuskegee, starting with his birth on June 10, 1983 at John A. Andrew Memorial Hospital and extending to his childhood in the Hilltop neighborhood. He attended Lewis Adams Elementary School, Tuskegee Public, Tuskegee Institute Middle School and Booker T. Washington High School. Soft spoken with a quiet demeanor, he firmly projects empathy and clarity, saying, “I want to reach out to the community and make sure businesses know we are concerned about them. We want businesses to know they can come to the Chamber for advocacy and support.” Stephens works at the Tuskegee Technical Center, located at 123 Westside Street near the Tuskegee Square. The business provides cell phone repair, computer repair (desktop & laptop), printer repair, surveillance cameras installation, various household electronics repair e.g. DVD players and radios, VHS to DVD converting, website building and free initial consultations. Stephens enjoys his job and works hard to deliver excellent customer service, saying, “I try to keep people in a comfort zone. I also strive to make them happy they came to our store for help.”   He understands the pressures that are squeezing local businesses as they struggle to keep their doors open, meet overhead expenses and earn a profit. He says at the Tuskegee Technical Center, “We have great customer service and the cheapest prices in the computer repair field.” Stephens thanks all members for supporting the Chamber and he encourages more businesses to join the organization.  36-years old, he is the youngest of the four recently elected Chamber officers and he has a millennial perspective.  He is tech-savvy and knows that for entrepreneurship to thrive, there must be a healthy ecosystem. He wants to improve the climate for start-up businesses by providing incentives and resources for both early success and long-term sustainability. He and the other Chamber officers have re-energized the Chamber’s mission and programming. You will see the evidence of this at the first Chamber meeting on Monday, January 27, 2020 at the Tuskegee Municipal Complex. Look for more details about the first meeting of the new year. Information will be shared in local media, including The Tuskegee News. And since Kelvin Stephens is involved, the Chamber will definitely use digital media strategies more in 2020 than in prior years.