Golden named chair of Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance
Jim Golden William & Mary's vice president for strategic initiatives has been named chair of the Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance. Photo by Stephen Salpukas
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"The Alliance is a great organization and I am honored by this opportunity," Golden said. "John Bacon was a wonderful chairman last year, and I will try to live up to the standard he set."
The Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance has almost 1,000 members who represent small and large businesses, educational and cultural institutions, and non-profit organizations in the City of Williamsburg, James City County and York County.
The Alliance aims to encourage business growth, promote the area as a travel destination, support activities that are beneficial to the area and coordinate efforts among people involved in commerce, industry and professions. "We will continue to work with anyone who shares our vision for building a strong local economy, for retaining our area's legacy as a national historic treasure, and for attracting visitors to come and stay with us and share all our remarkable Historic Triangle has to offer," said Golden.
Golden graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1965 with a bachelor of science degree in engineering. He received a master's in public administration from the Kennedy School at Harvard University in 1967 and earned his doctorate in economics from Harvard in 1972.
A retired brigadier general who spent 31 years in the U.S. Army, Golden served in artillery units and then taught at West Point for many years, ultimately heading its Department of Social Science for seven years. The department included roughly 60 faculty members in economics and political science, and an Office of Economic and Manpower Affairs that provided analysis for the Army leadership.
During the 1970s, Golden served intermittently under three U.S. presidents as a senior staff economist on the President's Council of Economic Advisors. Golden also spent a year in Germany in 1981-82 as a Fulbright Professor. After retiring from the Army, Golden served as Executive Director of Technology and Executive Assistant to the CEO and Chairman at Tenneco, Inc.
Golden came to William and Mary in 1999 as director of economic development and corporate affairs. In 2006, he was appointed associate vice president for economic development. He was appointed to his current position in May 2008.
"Jim's strong economic expertise will be a valuable asset to the local business community as it begins to recover from the recent economic downturn," said Bob Hershberger, Alliance executive vice president. "We are pleased to have his leadership."
