KNOW YOUR NEIGHBOR: Amy Frazier

Get to know Culpeper's community members more with Know Your Neighbor, a short question and answer series. Have someone you think should be featured? Email maria@culpepertimes.com.

Name - Amy Frazier 

Job Title - President/CEO

Organization - Culpeper Chamber of Commerce

Home town - Culpeper

Work town - Culpeper

Education - I graduated from Culpeper County High School in 2009 and continued my education at George Mason University where I received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Intercultural Studies.

Civic and/or church involvement - I am actively involved with: Girls on the Run Piedmont Sneaker Soiree Planning Committee, Free Clinic's OysterFest, Culpeper Young Professionals, SAFE, Culpeper Palooza, Cub Scout Pack 196, Verdun Adventure Bounds Feast in the Field and more! I also serve on the Public Transportation Board and attend CRI and CEDAC meetings and serve on the Culpeper Harvest Days Farm Tour planning committee.

How would you best describe the county? Culpeper is a beautiful, conveniently located, and historic county. It has a small town feel but with an abundance of resources and activities.

What do you do for fun? I love spending time with my friends and family, hiking, visiting wineries, playing with my son and cuddling my dog.

What will Culpeper be like in 10 years? Culpeper is growing and growth will likely continue over the next 10 years.  I believe that the Chamber will be a key tool in maintaining a strong and connected community that supports each other in that time.

How did your previous role at the Chamber help you move into this new role? I began my role at the Culpeper Chamber as Events Coordinator in April 2019 and my title changed in January 2022 to Director of Programming and Operations. I have developed an understanding of and deep passion for the Chamber mission, vision and culture and became a representative of the Chamber around the clock both in and out of the office. I’ve had the opportunity to communicate with and build relationships with the Culpeper Chamber Membership and the community as a whole. I also planned and executed an impactful Lead Culpeper program.  I was there every step of the way and feel that I am a stronger and much more knowledgeable leader in my community because of this program. 

How important is it for the community to know about the Chamber and what it can do for local businesses? Very Important! The Chamber is a very important influence in Culpeper and acts as the voice of the business community working to promote, build, and support the most effective climate for economic development. The Chamber is a trusted advocate, partner, and network, helping to improve people’s lives within Culpeper.

If someone is preparing to start a small business, what steps would you recommend they take first? The first step I tell anyone preparing to open a small business is to connect with the local Small Business Development Center. SBDCs have experts available to listen, advise and assist entrepreneurs free of charge. They have checklists of licensing and permitting needed as well as financial and market research to help better understand your industry and community. Once established, call the Chamber as we want to welcome you, do a ribbon cutting and help you grow!

What could one expect by joining the Chamber? Chambers of commerce seek to help businesses in their community grow and thrive. Being a member of the Chamber gives businesses and individuals access to resources, opportunities for networking, increases visibility and credibility, and a strong sense of community. We support, promote, connect, inform, and advocate.  We are a membership driven nonprofit so we always encourage our members to keep us in the loop on what you are doing and give us honest feedback so that we can better serve you!