CONCORD — John Cox, who has been at the helm of the Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce since November 2001, has been named president of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce in Naples, Fla.
He starts in August.

Cox has been president and CEO of the Cabarrus chamber for 12 years and president and CEO of the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation since 2004.
During Cox’s tenure, the chamber produced record Total Resource Campaigns, the most recent in 2009 in excess of $600,000. The chamber also saw back-to-back record membership events in 2010 and 2011. 
Cox has a track record of attracting and keeping companies in Cabarrus County, although the county also experienced economic setbacks during his tenure, including the closing of Pillowtex and Phillip Morris.
Cox was named the 2012-2013 N.C. Chamber Executive of the Year by the Carolina Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives Association and the 2012 Charlotte Business Leader of the Year by Business Leader Media. 
During the past decade, Cox led the Chamber through U.S. Chamber Accreditation process twice and secured Accredited Economic Development Organization status for the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation through the International Economic Development Corporation, one of 36 accredited EDCs in the world. 
As leader of the Cabarrus Economic Development Corporation, Cox and his team helped lure more than $750 million in investment and 3,000 new and retained jobs.
Cox worked closely with the leaders of the N.C. Research Campus, travelling internationally and domestically on its behalf. Data Chambers announced last month a 50,000-square-foot, $8 million dollar project creating 20 new jobs on the campus — a project sourced by the EDC.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my tenure here, and the relationships built will last a lifetime,” Cox said in a statement. 
He named passage of the Interbasin Water Transfer Agreement, the creation of the Modern Arts Film Festival and the expansion of Charlotte Motor Speedway as top achievements.
The Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce is the largest chamber in its five-county region.