The Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce announced it’s 2016 board of directors.  In a bold move, it includes three members who, we assume, actually know how to program a computer.  Larry Collett of NetGalaxy Studios, Nate Dapore of PeopleMatter, and Eric Bowman of Teamphoria are either programmers or at least work for companies that produce software.  NetGalaxy is a software consulting firm, and the other two produce software products.  This brings our readers’ representation up to 4%.

“Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F031434-0006, Aachen, Technische Hochschule, Rechenzentrum” by Bundesarchiv, B 145 Bild-F031434-0006 / Gathmann, Jens / CC-BY-SA 3.0. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 de via Commons.

Also of note is Willis Cantey of Cantey Technology Consulting, whom we are certain knows how to turn a computer off and back on again.  And there’s our dear frenemy cast-netter Patrick Bryant, who knows a thing or two about connecting the startup community.

Here’s the full list, most of  which represent firms that provide services.  Out of 6 companies that actually produce products, 2 make software, 2 fold cardboard, 1 assembles jetliners, and 1 does whatever Zucker Enterprises does.

Considering the Chamber’s tagline, “Driving Growth. Defining Tomorrow,”  it is clear they are stacking the board to look more like the economy of the future. Could anyone have imagined when Grandfather Blackbaud relocated from Jersey in the 90s, or when Auntie Benefitfocus racked up servers on a card table in an old strip mall, or when ATD began “creating efficiency” in the stock markets that we would reach this point?

With this unprecedented level of representation in a forward thinking committee, it’s time to make known what software developers need to thrive.  Gigabit! A Hyperloop to Daniel Island!  Or maybe just move the Catalyst Center somewhere within walking distance of some lunch.