"New chamber leader has big plans, aims for balance"

By Stephen D. Price
February 13, 2003

David Peel, the new president of the Millington Area Chamber of Commerce, plans to work hard to increase membership, get more clergy to attend meetings and improve education.

But Peel won't allow his community duties or law firm get in the way of family.

"I try to maintain a balance; I know the effect of the absence of a father in a household," said Peel, whose parents are divorced.

As a result Peel, who practices law in Millington, doesn't take every auto accident or workers compensation case that comes before him.

He recently was late for an appointment with a reporter because he wanted to play with his children - age 3, 2, and 10 months - in newly fallen snow.

Even where he lives, unincorporated Shelby County between Arlington and Rosemark, reminds him of family.

"Every day when I go home I pass the tree my father planted when he was 6, and the fields he, his father and grandfather sharecropped," said Peel, 33, who is married to Trish.

Kevin Reed, former president of the chamber, said Peel has been active with the community for the past eight years and has risen as a leader.

"He's a hands-on leader that will help the chamber with expanding economic development and will be a consensus builder," Reed said.

Peel will face the chamber's challenges with a new executive director, Ordis Copeland, 48.

When Peel and his wife got married in 1994, they soon began trying to start a family but it wasn't easy. The couple went through six years of infertility until they decided to adopt.

"Adoption is one of the most selfless acts one could do," said Peel, of the parent who places their child for adoption. "By definition they are putting their needs behind the needs of the child's."

They later had two children of their own.

In his office on U.S. 51, with fishing lures and pictures of his family adorning the walls, Peel talked about his roots and how the chamber can help improve the community.

Born in Memphis, Peel was raised in El Dorado, Ark.

His father, William Peel, is a psychologist, and mother, Jo Griffin Peel, was a real estate agent.

Peel grew up fishing, riding three-wheelers and going to deer camp. But El Dorado didn't offer Peel enough.

"Socially it's dead," he said. "People were good, but living there was never an option."

He majored in journalism at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. After graduating, he got a job selling optical lenses in Memphis.

"I did OK in sales but wasn't satisfied," Peel said.

At the urging of a friend he took the law school entrance exam. He did well and started attending the University of Memphis Law School.

While there he clerked for Wilson Wages in Millington. After graduating, he worked for Wages, then started his own law firm in Millington in 2000.

Peel attends Bellevue Baptist Church, where he met his wife and now teaches a young-couples Sunday school class.

He got involved in the community because, "I saw businesses being really faithful to the chamber and community."

Peel said the chamber's role in the community is increasing.

"The bedrock has been laid by previous administrations; we are now going to lay the foundation.

"Just four years ago we had a chamber that just had one part-time person. Now look at us. We have a world-class Web site that gets thousands of hits a month. Marketing materials."

He said there will be a continued focus on education.

"Education leads to rooftops, housing leads to businesses."

Peel also wants to get membership above 300; he said it's at about 270 now.

And he wants to get the faith community more involved.

"I will have a clergyman at each meeting every month; to get them here to know who we are. The church has always been the backbone of Southern communities."

- Stephen D. Price: 529-2786