Community Champion: Mandy White
It’s time to recognize a Community Champion, an honor given to people making a positive impact in the community. It’s in partnership with Leaders Credit Union.
For 26 years Mandy White has worked at the Greater Jackson chamber. Her current role is chief economic development officer.
“I have the privilege of working with companies to try to recruit new manufacturing companies to Jackson. To support our existing industries, but also to work with our team to make sure we have workers that are trained… that our education is teaching skillsets that can make students successful in the workplace and ultimately create jobs and enhance our quality of life here in Jackson,” shared White.
Since Mandy’s involvement at the chamber, they have seen more than 16 thousand new jobs in the community and $4.4 billion dollars of investment.
“One of the things I’m most proud of is that personally I’ve been able to secure over $3.5 million dollars in grants to help make our community better, to help us be more ready to compete for those opportunities and it is just so rewarding to feel like I’m helping to make a difference here,” she explained.
For the last five years, Mandy has also been a part of RIFA’s board of directors, serving the last two years as board president.
“44 percent of families in Madison county are at or below the poverty level. 26 percent of children are food insecure. I don’t think there’s any justification that anybody should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from,” White detailed.
In the five years that she has been involved with RIFA, they have been able to serve 2.7 million meals to help feed those who are hungry.
“That is such a rewarding thing to think about being a very small part of,” she shared.
Mandy is also helping some furry friends through the Southeast GSP rescue, working to save and find permanent homes for German short haired pointer dogs.
“People don’t understand the needs of the breed or their high energy or their personality level. So we work to find placement for them to save room in shelters for other dogs,” White explained.
She serves on the board of directors for the rescue and has been able to place more than 150 dogs in the last five years in Tennessee alone, and more than 550 across the rescue’s 7 state coverage area.
“I think some people are afraid to serve because they think I can’t make a difference, I can’t do enough, it won’t matter… and I’m here to tell you it does,” White encourged.
If you know someone doing good in their community, you can nominate them for the Community Champion award by clicking here.
