Hunter Harrington cheers for Starkville’s growth
Many people marvel at how much Starkville has grown over the past few years, and Hunter Harrington is no exception.
At the Greater Starkville Development Partnership, Harrington serves as the Director of Membership Development where she manages the Starkville Area Chamber of Commerce branch of the Partnership and is specifically charged with increasing and retaining membership and developing member benefits.
Harrington has been at the Partnership for five years now and while she has enjoyed her job all this time, she didn't always see herself in her position.
“I thought I wanted to be a sideline reporter, so I majored in sport communication at Mississippi State,” Harrington said.
When she was a student at MSU, Harrington was a cheerleader who would cheer on everyone's favorite Bulldogs on Saturdays in the fall.
After she got her undergraduate degree, Harrington interned at the Convention and Visitors Bureau in her hometown of Tupelo. Following that, she went back to school to get her master's degree from MSU in sports administration while she was a student worker for the MSU football team and did sports marketing in the athletic department. For her master's program, she had to have a related internship, so she moved to Charleston, S.C. to work for the College of Charleston's athletic department.
Ultimately, she returned to Starkville to work for Learfield and sell sports advertising sponsorships. But she then decided to have a career change. Not long after she wanted to make that change, she saw that the Partnership was hiring for the job she works now.
“I felt like this could be a very impactful job for the community that would have purpose and make me feel like I was making a difference,” Harrington said.
So she applied, interviewed, and got the job five years ago. Today, Harrington feels that she has found that purpose and feels that she has made that difference.
“I will say that just helping other businesses reach their potential, watching them thrive, and watching our community grow is all so awesome. We're in such an important time for Starkville right now because there's so much energy, so many events, and many businesses are interested in coming here,” said Harrington. “So it's just such a great time to be in Starkville right now. It's just really neat to be a part of all that, helping people find jobs and connecting people together.”
Harrington is married to Zack Harrington, who was a quarterback at MSU around the same time she was cheering on the sidelines. When thinking back on the time they first met, Harrington recalls her first impressions of her future husband.
“Just one of the kindest individuals I've ever met. He has a big heart and is very caring for people. We both have that love of appreciating people and wanting to help people,” Harrington said.
Together, they have two children. Seven-year-old
Grace and four-year-old Henry, both of whom's hobbies she has adopted.
“Most of my hobbies revolve around activities for the kids,” said Harrington. “Grace loves to dance. She is on the competitive dance
team at Apex Dance Studio. We just got back from Little Rock, Ark. about two weeks ago, so she dances all the time. Henry loves to play ball, any kind. Right now, he's getting ready for his baseball season and he is going to play his first year of coach pitch.”
As someone who has been around a good bit during her life, Harrington touched on
some of her most favorite things about Starkville.
“I love the people here in Starkville. I love that you can get anywhere quickly, and I love that we have a college in our backyard,” said Harrington. “I feel like all of the things that you look for in a community and to have a family somewhere, Starkville is definitely a good place for that.”
If you see Hunter around, be sure to tell her hello.
This article is part of an ongoing, weekly series titled Know Your Neighbor. If you wish to be featured in a future Know Your Neighbor or know of someone you’d like to see in a future article, please email us at editor@ starkvilledailynews.com.