"I am excited and energized by the chamber members' passion that has already been shared.

I'm looking forward to meeting local business owners and community members..."

-- Jennifer Reep

Cramerton native and long-time resident Jennifer Reep has been named president of the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce, Chamber Board Chair Mark Yount of Belmont Savings Bank announced today.

Mrs. Reep has been a career teacher and administrator in the public schools of Gaston County, and for the past eight years she was principal at East Gaston High School.

Previously, she was a classroom teacher at Mount Holly Middle School and Forestview and South Point high schools. In administration, she was an assistant principal at Cramerton Middle School for five years before becoming the principal at Mount Holly Middle School and later principal at East Gaston.

Mrs. Reep graduated from South Point High School and received her bachelor’s degree at Appalachian State University and her master’s degree in middle school education at Belmont Abbey College. She also completed the Principal Preparation Program at Western Carolina University.

"We are excited to have a president of the Montcross Area Chamber who has an outstanding record of leadership and administrative experience and who, having grown up and lived and worked here for many years, has a deep understanding and appreciation for our businesses and communities," Yount said. 

Mrs. Reep grew up in the Lakewood community of Cramerton, and she and her husband Thad have lived there for 15 years. Thad Reep owns and operates Boulevard Import on Wilkinson Boulevard in Lowell.

"I'm honored to be hired as the president of the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce," Mrs. Reep said. "While this role is a shift from my previous career, I am excited and energized by the chamber members' passion that has already been shared. I'm looking forward to meeting local business owners and community members in the near future."

A transition team of present and former Chamber leaders has managed operations at the chamber during the search for a president and will continue to assist when Mrs. Reep begins work in early September.

About the chamber: The Montcross Area Chamber's roots date to 1937 and the formation of the Belmont Merchant's Association, which conve.rted to a chamber of commerce in 1960.

With membership growing rapidly throughout Gaston County and into Mecklenburg, the Belmont Chamber of Commerce, Inc. began doing business as the Montcross Area Chamber in 2009. The name comes from the Montcross retail, commercial and residential project developing along Interstate 85 and Highway 74 in eastern Gaston County on land owned by the Southern Benedictine Society at Belmont Abbey College and three major textile companies.

For more information on the Montcross Area Chamber of Commerce, contact

Jennifer Reep at 704.825.5307, EXT 100, or email her at

jennifer.reep@montcrossareachamber.com.

MACC Board members standing behind Jennifer

New Montcross Area Chamber President Jennifer Reep is front and center in this photo, with board officers and directors backing her up. Front row, from left, are director Julie Roper of Dominion Energy, Board Chair-Elect Malissa Gordon of Piedmont Lithium, Past Chair Todd Garrett of TST Investigations, Board Chair Mark Yount of Belmont Savings Bank, advisory director Dick Cromlish of School Resources, and director Marc Burns of Techtheon.

On the back row are director Nathan Huckins of Baker Roofing, Board Secretary Victoria Dalton of 321 Equipment, director Patrice Gibson of Shining Hope Farms, director Adriana Phillips of Expedia Cruises, director Martha Wegner of Duke Energy, director Anastashia Kellogg of Sealed Air, Felicia Williams of Gaston College Small Business Center, Corinthia Friday of South State Bank, advisory director Kristy Crisp of the City of Gastonia, director Phil Brach of Belmont Abbey College, advisory director Miles Braswell of the City of Belmont and director Dodie Huffman of Image Gallery.