Debra Guinter she was encouraged to see signs of recovery ahead.

"I believe Gordon County will be an early leader in the economic recovery," Guinter said Thursday as she was sworn in as the 2010 chairman of the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce.

Guinter is vice president and secretary of DRO Management Co., a family real estate development company.

"As the child of an entrepreneur, it was instilled in me that hard work is the key to success," Guinter said, recalling her childhood at the local Ford dealership, which was founded by her father Don Owens and Gaines Prater. "I hope you you will share my enthusiasm as we join together in service to our community."

Several hundred chamber members packed the Sonoraville Recreation Complex to see Guinter take over reins of the chamber from Larry Vickery, who served as chairman in 2009.

Dewayne Bowen, a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Calhoun, was installed as the chamber’s vice chair, and David Scoggins, a partner at Winter & Scoggins CPAs in Calhoun, was installed as secretary-treasurer.

Kim Brazell, Russell Davis, Kenny Fuqua, Jeff Gazaway, Becky Hood, B.J. Meadows, Nathan Murphy, David Repp, Vickie Spence, Michele Taylor, Jesse Vaughn and Trace Vaughn will serve on the chamber board of directors.

During Thursday’s meeting, Vickery reported the success of last year’s “Keep It in the County” program, which was designed to encourage residents to shop locally.

The program was so successful that the chamber’s Public Relations Committee plans to expand it this year.

"one of our biggest jobs is jobs," Vickery said before passing the chairman's gavel to Guinter. "Your chamber works every day to bring new jobs into Gordon County and to keep the ones we have."