By A.J. Kaufman, Managing Editor
A few weeks ago, the Business Journal spoke to Beth Rhinehart, President & CEO of the Bristol TN/VA Chamber of Commerce. She recently was elected to serve on the board of directors for the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, an association of professionals who work with more than 1,300 chambers of commerce. Rhinehart was selected as the 2025 Chamber Executive of the Year by the Virginia Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
Business Journal: How and why did you choose the Chamber of Commerce as your career path, and was being in your current role (or any related roles you’ve held) an original goal of yours?
Beth Rhinehart: This wasn’t a role I set out to chase. I’m a native of Bristol, and like many people in this region, I left for a while. I was gone about 12 years before I intentionally made my way back home.
While away, I pursued my first career goal: using my biology degree to do clinical research at the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Md., an amazing opportunity to work alongside incredible scientists, physicians and leaders. From there, my path wound through education and counseling degrees before it ever touched economic development, and I spent 10 years as Director of Government Relations for Wellmont Health System.
I loved that job more than I expected. Something about the legislative process itself pulled me in — following an issue from a hallway conversation to a bill on the floor, learning how to build the relationships and the case that actually move policy forward. Watching how decisions in our capitols touched real hospitals and patients back home taught me how policy, business and community connect. I didn’t know it then, but it was quietly preparing me for this work.
When the opportunity came to lead the Bristol Chamber in 2015, it felt less like a calculated move and more like a natural next step — a chance to keep doing the advocacy work I loved, for a place I loved even more. I never grew up dreaming of being a Chamber CEO; I don’t think anyone does. I was serving on the Chamber Board as Chair-elect when the position opened, and after a lot of thought, I took the leap into the work of the strong board and Chamber team.
BJ: Thinking of original goals, what were some priorities once you began in the current position, and what accomplishments are worth noting since then?
BR: When I stepped into this role over 11 years ago, my priorities centered on strengthening the Chamber’s credibility and impact, operating at the highest professional standard and making sure businesses on both sides of the state line saw real value in belonging.
One belief has guided that work: as a business membership organization, we have to lead by example. We can’t ask our members to innovate if we’re not willing to do the same — listening genuinely to our community, watching what’s happening in the broader world and changing course when something isn’t serving our members. Internally, we’ve built a culture of collaboration. None of us succeeds unless we’re pulling in the same direction.
And I’ve always believed regionalism is an action, not a title: it’s easy to claim you’re a regional partner; it’s another thing to show up as one, across a state line, day after day.
With that as the backdrop, we’ve made real progress. We’re the only 5-Star accredited chamber between Knoxville and Lynchburg, Va., a distinction from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce achieved by fewer than 1% of chambers nationwide. We represent over 500 businesses across a truly unique bi-state community, guided by our mission: Advancing Economic Vitality.
Some of our most meaningful work has been putting that mission into practice — growing our workforce pipeline, supporting small businesses, engaging young professionals and youth leaders and championing regional priorities like the return of passenger rail through Bristol. I’ve also had the privilege of representing our region on state and national platforms — the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, the Virginia Board of Education and the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Board — carrying Bristol’s voice into rooms where regional and national decisions get made. Here locally, serving on boards supporting our community has been incredibly rewarding.
BJ: What advice do you give to women, or anyone, considering starting their careers in your field — either here in Appalachia or elsewhere? Have there been specific challenges and any lessons learned?
BR: Say yes to the work that’s actually in front of you, even if it doesn’t look like a straight line. My own path — teaching, counseling, healthcare policy and now chamber leadership — didn’t follow a tidy plan, but every stop taught me something I still use today. Relationships, credibility and a willingness to learn matter more than having the “right” resume.
In Appalachia specifically, this work asks you to hold two things at once: deep respect for where this region has been and real urgency about where it needs to go. That balance can be a challenge, especially when you’re advocating for change in communities where people are rightly protective of their identity and history. The lesson I’ve learned is that you earn the standing to push for progress by showing up consistently, listening more than you talk and proving you’re in it for the long haul — not just for a title.
For women, I’d say: don’t wait for a role to be handed to you that looks exactly like what you imagined. Build your credibility broadly; say yes to service and leadership opportunities even when they’re unpaid or unglamorous, and trust that the right seat will find you. Sometimes the loudest challenges are when you are pushing hard in the right direction.
BJ: Looking ahead, what’s interesting on the horizon for the organization, particularly this fall or winter?
BR: The return of passenger rail to and through Bristol continues to be a point of passion for me personally and a priority for our region. I expect continued movement on that front, given the relationships and conversations we are having across Tennessee and Virginia and with our elected leaders. We’re also continuing to invest in growing our Young Professionals and engaging our youth leaders, because the future of this Chamber — and this region — depends on bringing the next generation into the work now, not later.
Beyond that, you’ll see us double down on the things that make Bristol distinctive: building bridges across our unusual bi-state community, supporting small businesses in tangible and meaningful ways, strengthening civic engagement, shoring up our workforce pipeline through education and career-connection efforts and working toward the elimination of poverty in our region. All of it ladders up to our mission of Advancing Economic Vitality.
BJ: What else should we know about you or your job?
BR: The most important thing I want people to know is that none of this is a solo effort. I have an incredible board of directors — people who volunteer their time and expertise because they genuinely believe in this region and who push our thinking in ways that make the organization better. Our staff is the kind you hope for but rarely find: talented, hardworking and just as invested in Bristol’s success as I am. That combination — a board that leads with vision and a team that executes with heart — is our sweet spot. It’s the reason we’re able to do the work we do, and honestly, it’s what gets me out of bed and excited to come to work every day.
