Chamber of Commerce Board Members

New members of the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Board Chairman Darren Berger has announced the results of the annual election for members of the organization's Board of Directors. Elected representatives who will begin their three-year terms in January are:

Tena Bennett Director SIU Student Center Tena Bennett is the Director of the Student Center at Southern Illinois University where she oversees the facility and dining operations as well as a variety of programming efforts.  A resident of Carterville, she has lived in the community for 11 years and worked at SIU in various roles within Student Affairs.  Tena currently is a member of the Chamber's Ambassadors Committee and is pursuing her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration at SIU.

Jeremy Clow Founder and CEO Saluki Craft A resident for over six years now, Jeremy Clow grew up in Effingham, IL before coming to Carbondale in 2011 to attend SIU. He graduated from SIU in 2015 with a Bachelors in Architecture and again in 2016 with a Masters. Jeremy is the founder and current CEO of Saluki Craft Co. established in April of 2014. He strives for partnerships with fellow businesses and promotes all economic development in Carbondale, especially the downtown. He is a block captain for Carbondale Main Street and served for two years on the Downtown Advisory Committee. Proud to be a Saluki, he continues to support various programs at SIU: sponsoring "Start Seeing Pink" at the Student Center, Sunset Concerts, various design affiliated RSOs, and most importantly Touch of Nature Environmental Center.

Jolene Falat Assistant Vice-President and Branch Manager First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust Jolene Falat is the Assistant Vice-President & Branch Manager of First Mid-Illinois Bank and Trust in Carbondale. Prior to moving to the Carbondale Branch she was AVP/Branch Manager of the Murphysboro branch for 7 years. While in Murphysboro, Jolene served on the Murphysboro Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, serving as its President in 2015. She was also the Treasurer of the Board of the Science Center of Southern Illinois from 2012-2014. Since relocating to the Carbondale branch in late 2015, she has served as the Chairperson of the "Chef Clash in the Arena" (formerly "100 Men Who Cook") annual fundraising event that benefits several local charities. Jolene attended the University of Illinois and completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Mid-Continent University.

Diane Hood Manager The Furniture King Diane Hood is the manager of The Furniture King in Carbondale. She and her husband, Estus, have been Southern Illinois residents for 30 years. Diane serves on the board of directors for the Women's Center, the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale, the Carbondale Community High School Foundation, the SIH Foundation and the NAACP. She is active in Toys for Tots and was named the 2016 Carbondale Citizen of the Year.

Jim Jacobs Owner Jacobs Air Conditioning and Heating Jim Jacobs is the owner of Jacobs Air Conditioning & Heating, a Carbondale-based company established in March 2000 and moved the firm into it's current facility in Carbondale's Bi-Centennial Industrial Park in 2005. He is an active member of the Carbondale Chamber for the past 12 years, serving on the Ambassadors Committee and the Board of Directors. Jim is married to Deann, his wonderful wife of 30 years and they reside in rural Carbondale. He is also the proud father of two sons & three daughters. Jim is a member of Vine church, enjoys exercising, golfing & outdoor activities. Jim has been re-elected for his second term on the Board of Directors.