NEA C-Suite: Mark Young

How would you describe your company? The Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce is the voice of the business community. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in Jonesboro and the surrounding area through service, leadership, and economic development.

If you could change one thing about your leadership style, what would it be and why? Communication is important in leadership. I continue to remind myself that everyone communicates differently and sometimes that means changing how information is delivered.

What’s your favorite movie or television show? My favorite movie is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The movie does an excellent job reminding all of us how connected we are to each other. My favorite quote from the movie is when Clarence says, “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” And the book inscription: “Remember, George: No man is a failure who has friends.”

What are your thoughts on working from home? There are some businesses and industries that might lend themselves well to working from home. In the Chamber of Commerce and economic development world, most of our work is face-to-face with our members and community. Working from home does not really work for what we do.

How significant to you is developing a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) culture within your organization? Working in an organization where everyone is respected and included is extremely important. The importance extends to both the internal and external nature of our business.

If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? What a great question. I could list many things that are important to me, but for the purpose of this exercise I will try to narrow my focus. I would support the creation of scholarships at Arkansas State University and Arkansas State University-Newport. I believe that education that is applied can change the trajectory of someone’s life.

Do you think Artificial Intelligence (AI) can take jobs in your industry? It is difficult to predict the future, but I think AI, when used responsibly and ethically, can enhance and refine our work — not replace us. Utilizing AI for site analysis, identification of best practices, and marketing are just a few ways it is being used today in our industry. As companies go through the site selection progression for expansions and new projects, an enormous amount of data is requested and analyzed. AI can certainly benefit both the economic developer and companies through the process when well managed.

What is the best business advice someone has ever given you? The best business advice turns out to be really life advice. My dad always stressed working hard and being true to yourself. I have tried to apply those principles in both my personal life and throughout my career.

Which skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership? Leadership requires many different skills and often it depends on the situation as to which are most important. But I believe at the heart of leadership there are a couple that can never be substituted. First, building trust among your team members and those that you serve. Without trust, leadership cannot be achieved. Having the ability to be a good decision maker is also required. Everyday in all organizations decisions must be made. Some people enjoy that process, others do not. Being an effective leader requires someone who can apply analytical skills and then make the best decisions possible.

What is the most used app on your phone? There are several that I use every day including LinkedIn and X [formerly Twitter]. But easily, I use the mail app the most. I receive and send a significant number of emails daily.