Todd Rhoden loves roller coasters — the more loops, the better, he said. His approach to adventure speaks to his go-getter business attitude. The bigger the challenge, the more opportunity there is. And if there’s one thing this former Washington, D.C.-area resident sees in Bryant, it’s opportunity.
Rhoden believes so much in Bryant that he left everything familiar in the D.C. metro to move to the Saline County town and take on the role of executive director of the Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce. His passion for making Bryant the best it can be is evident as he talks about the area and its potential. The fact that he’ll be closer to his beloved New Orleans Saints also thrills this full-of-life 32-year-old Louisiana native.
Originally from Metairie, Louisiana, Rhoden graduated from Isidore Newman School, the same high school in New Orleans that football greats Peyton and Eli Manning attended. Rhoden had always dreamed of playing pro football. He was an all-state football player in high school, an all-conference player at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, and tried out for the NFL after college. He even tried out for the New Orleans VooDoo arena football team.
Lucky for the chamber of commerce world, Rhoden’s football dreams never came into fruition. He earned a master’s degree in business from Southeastern Louisiana University and went on to work as a sports reporter, selling insurance on the side. When his career in the publishing field collided with the chamber world, he said he felt compelled to pursue that avenue.
“I was working for the Washington Business Journal in sales and realized it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to be doing with my life,” Rhoden said. “I worked in sales for events, subscriptions and a little bit of advertising, and part of my job was to go around and speak at functions, such as at chamber of commerce events. The Washington Business Journal sponsored 10 chambers in the Virginia area, and one day at breakfast, I hit it off with the Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce folks.”
Rhoden worked for the Reston chamber for three years as its business development manager.
“We grew our membership to over 700 members,” Rhoden noted.
After the birth of his son, Micah, Rhoden said he felt the urge to move closer to home and someplace that is family-friendly with reputable schools. He and his wife, Lorianne, have been together since their senior year in college. She is his biggest supporter, or his “rock,” as he said, and he thanks her every day for dropping their familiar lives in Reston to start fresh in Bryant.
“I drove 1,000 miles with my wife, our son, two cats, towing a car,” he said. “And we couldn’t be happier. I’m just a Southern guy who plans to be here long-term. My family is in it 100 percent, and we really look forward to the future of Bryant and what it will look like five to 10 years from now. There are lots of opportunities.”
The Bryant position is Rhoden’s first leadership position. He replaces Rae Ann Fields, who served as chamber director for 17 years.
“After just a few days with Todd, I knew that the Bryant Area Chamber’s personnel committee had chosen well. He will do a tremendous job for Bryant,” Fields said.
Everyone has been nothing short of supportive, Rhoden said. “I’m leading with Rae Ann’s wonderful foundation she established and am excited to grow the chamber and Bryant. The board, which has been nothing but supportive, is excited for what’s to come as well.”
Rhoden only spent three days in the community before deciding to take on the job, he said.
“The board president, incoming president and others showed me around for three days, taking me to all of the good restaurants, and I knew this is where I wanted to bring my family,” Rhoden said.
“I did the research out here,” Rhoden added. “We have good schools, sports programs, and it’s a family-friendly place. During my interview talks, I took note of how open-minded everyone is and how progressive they are. Those things are very important to me.”
The Bryant Chamber currently has about 475 members, which is a good number, Rhoden said, especially for a town of about 20,000 people. In the D.C. area, he said, the main reason people join the chamber is to grow their business.
“Here, they want to do that, but they also join because they want to be a part of their community and know what’s going on in the schools,” he said.
Within a couple of years, Rhoden said, he hopes to grow the membership to more than 600 companies and offer programs to keep members engaged, such as educational programs and more networking opportunities.
The chamber’s first Network Night is scheduled for 5:30-7:30 p.m. July 28 at the Saline County Regional Airport in Bryant. Sponsored by Saline Memorial Hospital and with food and drink provided by Riverside Grocery and Catering, the event is open to anyone, Bryant resident or not, Rhoden said. “Just come out, meet me and our board members, and let’s all discuss what’s going on in the area.”
Rhoden said he also hopes to one day house the chamber in a bigger office building to allow for a more welcoming space and conference area. He’s also thinking about establishing a first-responders committee, he said, to give quarterly rewards to first responders and host a first-responders luncheon to honor their dedication and service.
Shaped by his parents, Robert and Joyette Rhoden of Covington, Louisiana, Todd Rhoden said he was fortunate to grow up in such a unique place. His mother worked in labor negotiations for the police and fire departments, and his father was the director of criminal justice for the city of New Orleans. Fortunately, the family had just moved to the Northshore area before Hurricane Katrina hit, so their home wasn’t badly damaged.
Due to his parents’ busy careers, Rhoden spent much of his time with his grandmother. It was in her home playing ball — a practice she didn’t condone but he did anyway — that piqued his interest in sports. And he has fond memories of attending New Orleans Saints games with his grandfather. Rhoden’s dad coached him in youth football up until the eighth grade.
“Sports helped shape me and taught me how to be competitive,” Rhoden said. “I’m a numbers-driven guy. Just like in sports, when we win in business, I stop to consider how we can do better to keep winning.”
As chamber director, Rhoden is essentially helping to manage close to 500 businesses in Bryant.
“I know that if I can be successful in one of the most competitive business places in the country, I can be successful here.”
To stay informed about Bryant Area Chamber of Commerce news and events, such as Taste of Bryant and the Winter Banquet, visit www.bryantchamber.com or call (501) 847-4702.