It has been about a year since I joined the Greater Gainesville Chamber of Commerce as President/CEO. Having served both business and the Chamber in various capacities over the years, I have the professional experience for this job, but what I really bring to the table is passion—we can be a game changer for this community at a very timely juncture of our history.
In five years, our Chamber will be 100 years old. When we get there, I’m looking forward to reflecting on how this community worked together to transform the meaning of opportunity for all people in our region. I am excited about upping our game—working as conveners to unify the community around transformative opportunities.
We have a strong history of success here—Go Gators— and combining a cooperative spirit with mutual respect, we can make great things happen. A transformation is already underway—just look at our flourishing startup community and the outstanding retail, cuisine, housing, and entertainment options across our region. I see great potential with the Chamber’s Collaborate 2025 economic development strategy as well as our community’s Smart Cities initiative, our launch of autonomous vehicles, and the growth of medical tourism within our worldclass healthcare system. We can also make great strides
developing more family-supporting jobs, improving our infrastructure, and revitalizing both our urban core and our rural communities.
But first, we must acknowledge that all voices matter. Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success.” I’m passionate about engaging every individual who loves this community. I want to help people look beyond their differences and focus on the positives we can all agree on. One point of commonality, however small, gives us something to build on, and together we can only win.
Eric Godet was named President/CEO of the Greater Gainesville Chamber in December 2018. Eric has served our community for many years, working as vice president of organizational advancement for Haven Hospice and as a founding member of RTI Biologics. His previous experience includes work for Johnson & Johnson and IBM.
