Martin Jones, vice president of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, is leaving the organization. Its just the right time for me personally because there are other opportunities I want to pursue, Jones said. Having worked for the past eight years to both retain and attract new industry to the area, Jones said hes most pleased with the $164 million worth of investments made by existing industries over the past four years.Im very proud of our existing industrial base that have continued to experience dynamic growth in most sectors, he said. The diversity of our manufacturing base continues to be a stable part of our regional economy.Since 1998, expansion of existing industries has led to 1,353 new jobs that either have already been created or will be made in the future as a result of $164.1 million dollars worth of investments. During the same time span, 1,351 jobs have been or are being invented by new industry, which has invested $109.4 million in the Bowling Green area. Jones said that while he is negotiating for a couple of different positions, he will remain in the area. His wife, Sandy, was elected mayor of Bowling Green in November 2000.Margaret Grissom, chamber president and CEO, said Jones was instrumental in getting the Stupp Bridge company to locate in the South Industrial Park in 1998 after the firm started leaning toward another location. Successfully courting Stupp Bridge, which produces huge span bridges, resulted in a $50 million investment and 144 jobs for Bowling Green. He was very instrumental in that project and jumped outside the box to try and get them back into town when we had been eliminated (in the negotiation), Grissom said. It is the single largest investment by a new industry in since 1998. Huish Detergents $60 million expansion and 270 jobs is the largest single investment by an existing industry during the same time period. Jones also helped lead the charge to get Afni and its 550 jobs to make Bowling Green its home last year. Were certainly going to miss all of Martins talents, Grissom said. Hes going to be hard to replace. His rapport with existing industry is second to none and well have to look very hard to make sure we come close to that. Jones said his interest in the regions economy was whetted in his previous position as associate director of the Barren River Area Development District and has not diminished. I have mixed feelings about leaving this chamber, which is a vibrant organization and has many great projects going on right now, he said. But I am excited about what the future holds.