Amy New
President & CEO of Cookeville Chamber
Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau
Tourism: CVBs, CVCs, Chambers of Commerce
Professional Bio
Amy New was named president and CEO of the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce in March 2020 following a 10-year stint in governmental affairs as well as work in economic, and community development. In accepting the position, she leads five programs housed within the Chamber of Commerce, including the Highlands Economic Partnership, the Visitors Bureau, Leadership Putnam, the Leslie Town Centre, and the Chamber of Commerce.
Preceding her chamber work, Amy served as the Government and Community Affairs Director of Programs for Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Amy served as the first-ever Rural & Community Development Assistant Commissioner for the TN Department of Economic and Community Development. During her appointment, TNECD launched a multi-million-dollar Rural Development Fund and passed the Rural Economic Opportunity (REO) Act of 2016, adding an additional $45 million in program funds since creation, and restructured the job tax credit to be more accessible for small businesses. The fund has produced more than $500 million in programs and projects to date. She also spearheaded a statewide task force addressing rural development needs. This group identified, designed, and implemented more than 20 initiatives that led to a $140 million infusion in rural TN. In addition to the REO Act, Amy led the passage of the Broadband Accessibility Act, which included the deregulation for eligible providers and added a grant program totaling more than $100 million in infrastructure expansion to date. She oversaw more than $400 million in state and federally funded projects to enhance economic and community development throughout the state.
She is a graduate of Tennessee Tech, where she earned a BS in Business Administration. She was in the inaugural class of TN Certified Economic Developers through the University of Tennessee’s Center for Industrial Services. Amy holds a masters in Leadership and Public Service through Lipscomb University.
Preceding her chamber work, Amy served as the Government and Community Affairs Director of Programs for Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Amy served as the first-ever Rural & Community Development Assistant Commissioner for the TN Department of Economic and Community Development. During her appointment, TNECD launched a multi-million-dollar Rural Development Fund and passed the Rural Economic Opportunity (REO) Act of 2016, adding an additional $45 million in program funds since creation, and restructured the job tax credit to be more accessible for small businesses. The fund has produced more than $500 million in programs and projects to date. She also spearheaded a statewide task force addressing rural development needs. This group identified, designed, and implemented more than 20 initiatives that led to a $140 million infusion in rural TN. In addition to the REO Act, Amy led the passage of the Broadband Accessibility Act, which included the deregulation for eligible providers and added a grant program totaling more than $100 million in infrastructure expansion to date. She oversaw more than $400 million in state and federally funded projects to enhance economic and community development throughout the state.
She is a graduate of Tennessee Tech, where she earned a BS in Business Administration. She was in the inaugural class of TN Certified Economic Developers through the University of Tennessee’s Center for Industrial Services. Amy holds a masters in Leadership and Public Service through Lipscomb University.
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