St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce Senior Vice President Scott Maynard talks business with young professionals. | St. Johns County
Published on June 10, 2026 at 3:53 pm
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St. Johns County and the local chamber of commerce are partnering to launch a new program for young professionals and other business-minded young people.
Aliyah Meyer is spearheading the new Young Professionals Program. She works as a business attraction specialist in St. Johns County’s economic development department. She says the program will provide networking and educational opportunities for people ages 21 to 40.
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“The under-40 category are people that are beginning their career, growing their business, that are looking to advance into leadership,” Meyer says. “The ideal person would be someone that’s looking to be more involved in the community and looking to build their professional presence in St. Johns County.”
Meyer, who is in her 20s herself, says she wants to provide the kind of resources to young professionals that she wishes were more available in the area without having to drive to Jacksonville.
“I remember I graduated from Flagler (College) and I didn’t really know where I belonged,” Meyer says. “I was ambitious, I was working immediately out of school, and I wanted to be surrounded by people who had that same level of ambition. This is something that I wish I had available to me.”
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Talent retention is one of the chamber’s key missions, and Meyer says the county wanted a hand in running the program, too. The two entities’ mutual goal is promoting workforce development and showing St. Johns County’s youngest entrepreneurs that they don’t have to leave the area to grow their careers.
“We’re hoping this program will allow young professionals to find a place where they can meet, socialize, learn and experience the variety of activities in and around our county and the region so they can begin to develop more of a sense of home in St. Johns County,” Scott Maynard, a senior vice president with the chamber, says.
In a county where the majority of the local government’s property tax revenue comes from residential housing, the county and chamber of commerce want to support the area’s growing business sector.
“This is all about helping young professionals succeed, which, in turn, helps our businesses succeed and our workforce will become stronger,” Meyer says. “That, overall, makes our economy and our community more resilient.”
The Young Professionals Program’s first event will be an opportunity to network with fellow young professionals, as well as get a better understanding about the future of the program, Meyer says.
Future plans include more networking opportunities, roundtable discussions and educational programming.
The program’s first event is scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 14 at Bronx House Pizza in Nocatee. Registration is now open, and space is not currently limited.
To register, click here to visit the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce’s website.
