The new Charleston Chamber of Commerce president, Greg Staton, says he will work closely with Eastern and draw more businesses to the Charleston community.

“We are trying to emphasize the strengths of the community, so everyone can see that,” Staton said.

Trying to reach more people in the community is a goal he has established, and he wants the chamber to be more public with businesses when issues come up.

Staton said he wants to work with Eastern specifically to keep the annual state track meet in town.

“We need to pull together to keep that here,” he said.

He says the business communities’ integration with Eastern is critical.

“We are tied very closely,” Staton said. “Eastern is an asset to the community.”

Staton emphasized other strengths that Charleston has such as medical care, education and the historic aspects of the area, such as Lincoln Log Cabin Historic Site and the Lincoln/Douglas debate site.

Plus, Staton said Charleston is a strong area for high tech communication.

“We do have major telemarketing that goes on right outside of Charleston,” he said. “We are a good area for people who want to contact a large portion of the people.”

Staton also wants to work to bring more businesses to Charleston that would fit its demographics.

“We are focusing more on economics,” he said.

The chamber will seek some responses from Charleston residents, Staton said.

“We think of the community as being wider than just the boundaries of the city limits,” he said. “We’re certainly family orientated and a safe environment to live in.”

Staton, who works at Coldwell Banker Classic Real Estate, will preside over board meetings and executive meetings, among other duties of the chamber.

“The president is that lead person,” executive director Cindy Titus said. “A primary spokesperson for the community.”

The president serves a one year term, then stays on the board as the “immediate past president,” Titus said.