Membership director shares personal journey, faith, and vision for deeper business connections in Huntsville
For Jonathan Murphy, community is not just a word printed on chamber materials. It is something he has lived, searched for, and ultimately found in Huntsville.
Murphy serves as membership director for the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, where his role centers on helping businesses connect, grow and thrive. But his path to that position was shaped by seasons of transition, faith and family.
“I have a heart for the small businesses,” Murphy said, explaining that he finds real fulfillment in watching a startup evolve into something stable and sustainable.
From The Woodlands to Huntsville
Murphy grew up in Texas and is originally from The Woodlands. Before settling in Huntsville, he spent time living in Willis and began gradually building connections in Walker County. Over time, what started as occasional visits turned into something deeper.
He moved to Huntsville in late 2020. In May 2021, he married his wife, and the couple has since welcomed two children. Their youngest is nearly a year old.
Murphy said fatherhood has reshaped his perspective. Raising a family in Huntsville, he said, has reinforced why community matters.
What drew him in most was the balance the city offers. Huntsville carries the familiarity of a small town where people recognize one another in the grocery store, yet it still has the economic and educational presence of a larger hub, anchored by Sam Houston State University and a diverse local business base.
Compared to more congested areas, Murphy said he appreciates Huntsville’s pace and accessibility. It feels personal.
A season of uncertainty... and timing
Murphy’s path to the chamber was not straightforward.
He initially interviewed for a marketing and events role. During the interview, however, he noticed the conversation kept circling back to membership. The chamber ultimately filled the original position with someone else, but then offered Murphy a different opportunity: one that had not even been publicly posted.
The offer came during a challenging season. Murphy had recently been laid off and had been out of work for a couple of months.
He described the opportunity as aligning at exactly the right time.
“It was all in God’s timing,” Murphy said.
His previous experience in church leadership and human resources, he said, translated naturally into chamber work. Both fields require relationship-building, listening, organization and helping people navigate growth.
That relational foundation now shapes how he approaches businesses throughout Walker County.
A foundation year for the chamber
Murphy said the past year has been about rebuilding and laying groundwork.
The chamber brought in a new CEO, Murphy stepped into membership leadership, and a new events director joined the team. Together, he said, they focused on strengthening systems and evaluating what was working, and what could improve.
“This year is about taking what we built and making it better,” he said.
Murphy said the chamber’s mission is not simply to host events, but to create meaningful connections that produce measurable outcomes for local businesses.
Reimagining events for better connection
Several updates are already underway.
Business After Hours returning to Thursdays
Murphy said Business After Hours had been held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, but attendance had begun to dip. Conflicts with other community activities also posed challenges.
The chamber moved the event back to Thursdays, now holding it on the fourth Thursday. Murphy said early feedback has been encouraging.
The goal, he said, is to remove barriers that prevent business owners from attending and to maximize networking opportunities.
Breakfast rotating locations
The chamber’s monthly breakfast will maintain its date and time, but locations will rotate more intentionally.
Murphy said Farmhouse has been a valued host and remains part of the schedule, but the chamber wants to spotlight additional local businesses. February’s breakfast was held at the Walker Education Center with a caterer, and March’s event will be held at Honor Cafe, a newer chamber member.
By rotating venues, Murphy said the chamber hopes to distribute visibility more evenly across its membership base.
Giving award winners their own moment
One of the most noticeable changes this year was separating awards recognition from the annual gala.
Murphy said award recipients were not always receiving the focused attention they deserved in a gala environment, where entertainment and conversation can dilute the spotlight.
The chamber created a dedicated awards luncheon instead. Murphy said the move not only honored recipients more intentionally, but also attracted attendees who do not typically attend the gala.
It was, he said, an example of listening to the community and adapting accordingly.
A relationship-first philosophy
Murphy believes chambers thrive when they move beyond transactions.
Membership, he said, is not simply about paying dues. It is about partnership.
He wants new members to feel seen and established members to feel valued. That means learning their goals, understanding their challenges and helping connect them with the right people.
In a community like Huntsville, where small and mid-sized businesses form the backbone of the local economy, Murphy said personal relationships can determine whether a business merely survives or truly grows.
He also encouraged non-members to attend events and visit the chamber office to learn more.
“We’re here to help,” Murphy said, noting the chamber continues to serve as an information hub and resource center for the broader community.
Looking ahead
As Huntsville continues to grow, Murphy said he hopes the chamber remains proactive rather than reactive.
He wants to see continued collaboration between business owners, local leaders and residents. He also hopes to foster networking environments where new entrepreneurs feel just as welcomed as established institutions.
For Murphy, the work is not abstract. It is personal.
Raising young children in Huntsville has sharpened his focus on sustainability and long-term health for the local economy. The businesses supported today, he said, help shape the future his family will inherit.
For more information about the Walker County Chamber of Commerce, visit huntsvillewalkerchamber.com.