The Brookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce’s newexecutive vice president has a diverse background that includeseconomic development, retail ownership and financialmanagement.

Cliffton Brumfield, 34, was introduced Monday. He was among 10applicants for the position, which oversees day-to-day chamberoperations.

“We’ve gone through the selection process, and think we’ve madea good choice,” said Kenny Goza, 2004 chamber president, citingBrumfield’s background and other attributes. “We’re proud to havehim on board.”

Brumfield, currently senior lender for State Bank and Trust’sMcComb branch, will officially be on board Jan. 3. He had highpraise for the community he and his family soon will call home.

“It is on the verge of being one of Mississippi’s modelcommunities,” Brumfield said. “I think it already is, we just needto get the word out.”

A native of Greenwood, Brumfield and wife, Rachel, have twodaughters, ages 6 and 2. He said he does not view his new job as”stepping stone” to another career.

“We’re interesting in growing here and staying here,” Brumfieldsaid.

Mentioning a planned new industrial park and other projects,Brumfield said he is excited about activities under way inBrookhaven and Lincoln County.

“The past is so good, and tomorrow is definitely an incrediblefuture,” he said.

From June 1994 to July 2001, Brumfield served as executivedirector of the Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic DevelopmentFoundation and Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Board. While there, helead an effort to expand the area’s industrial park and coordinatedor participated in a wide variety of other economic developmentprojects.

Brumfield said lining up financial aspects of the industrialpark here and finding the right industries to locate there will bea heavy endeavor.

“But Brookhaven is up to it,” Brumfield said.

A former owner of a Polaris dealership and a tire retail andservice center, Brumfield also has experience on the retail side ofchamber activities. He said he wants to help grow Brookhaven’sretail community and develop it along with the industrialrecruitment.

“You can’t leave one side out,” Brumfield said.

Brumfield also credited the community’s high work ethic andcooperation among local officials. He said there is fantasticcamaraderie among city, county and chamber leadership.

“It is really a tremendous environment to work in with economicdevelopment,” Brumfield said.