Adam Klein is Director of Strategic Initiatives for the Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce in Durham, NC. He has held this position since July of 2010 and is responsible for leading the Chamber’s entrepreneurship efforts and accelerating Durham’s position as the hub for entrepreneurship in the Southeast. He is particularly focused on serving and supporting entrepreneurs in the software, IT, and gaming industries. Adam co-founded the Bull City Startup Stampede, which brought 15 startups to downtown Durham for a 60-day trial run of the city and covered nearly all the costs to the startups. The Stampede propelled four startups to sign leases and stay in Durham at the conclusion of the initiative with another three launching products and three seeking equity investments. The Stampede garnered media attention from publications throughout the Southeast as well as attention in such faraway places as the Philippines, China, and Europe.
Prior to coming to the Durham Chamber, Adam was the Vice President of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce in Chapel Hill, NC. While in Chapel Hill, Adam managed day-to-day operations and led the Chamber’s economic development efforts, which included business retention, small business and entrepreneurial assistance, and a Buy Local campaign. He fostered environmental sustainability in business growth efforts, speaking regularly on this topic including remarks on Capitol Hill to members of the Obama Administration.
Adam is originally from Brecksville, Ohio and received his undergraduate degree from Denison University where he was a two-time Academic All-American in golf. He holds a Master of Regional Planning with a specialization in economic development from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He lives in downtown Durham with his wife Manda and enjoys golf, reading, hiking, and local breweries. He is active in his church and is an avid fan of Ohio State, UNC, and the Cleveland Indians.