The Choctaw County Chamber of Commerce and its members welcomed a new Board of Directors in late March. Three new Directors joined the Board along with four existing Directors.
The Chamber of Commerce held its Annual Meeting on March 21, 2019. Two new Directors were elected – Dianne Chancellor and Angela Paine. Current Chamber Board Director Melinda Newlin was reelected to a new term.
The third new Director is Aldridge Taylor. The Chamber Board appointed Taylor in February to fill the unexpired term of Lee James. James resigned from the Chamber Board to serve on the Choctaw County Economic Development District Board.
Chancellor, Paine and Taylor join existing Chamber Directors Trey Bowman, Amy Burdine, Cheryl McIntire and Melinda Newlin.
After the annual meeting the Board of Directors elected officers: President – Melinda Newlin, Vice President – Amy Burdine and Secretary/Treasurer – Angela Paine.
The Choctaw County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors have a variety of backgrounds that will help the Chamber excel.
Dianne Chancellor was born and raised in Houlka. She married Wilbur Chancellor and moved to Choctaw County in 1977. She is currently working at Ackerman Discount Drugs and has since 2016.
Dianne is a retired teacher after spending 40 years in the classroom. She was an instructor at Wood Junior College for 12 years, a teacher at Ackerman High School for 24 years and a teacher at Choctaw County High School for four years. Dianne retired in 2017. Her education background includes a MEd degree and a BS degree, both in Business Education from Mississippi State University and Dianne graduated from Houlka Attendance Center.
Angela Paine is the daughter of Junior and Marlene Dean of Ackerman. She is the youngest of four children, having two sisters and one brother. After growing up in Ackerman she moved to Destin, Fla. and lived there 14 years.
Feeling the call to return home to raise her daughter and care for her aging parents she returned to Ackerman. Angela currently resides in Ackerman with her husband, Ken, of 22 years, her teenage daughter, Anna, and her widowed mother.
Angela is a member of GFWC Ackerman Twentieth Century Club and sits on several Chamber committees. She is also a co-advisor of the Ackerman Juniorettes, a GFWC Ackerman Twentieth Century Club sponsored teenage volunteer group. Angela is happiest when she is of service to others.
Aldridge Taylor was born and raised in Ackerman. He resides in Ackerman with his wife of 19 years, Ketsia. They have two daughters: Ayana, 19, and Akira, 16. Ayana attends Mississippi Valley State University and is a member of the softball team, and Akira attends Choctaw County High School.
Aldridge is the son of Quincy and Georgia Taylor of Ackerman. His siblings are: Toya Taylor, Kayla Taylor, and Damarcus Taylor.
He is an Operations Team Leader at Southern Company/Red Hills Operations in Ackerman. He serves on the Red Hills Operations Community Involvement Team and the Mississippi Power Inclusion and Diversity Team.
Aldridge is a member of Warren Chapel Church of God in Christ in Louisville. He enjoys watching his daughters play softball and spending time with family.
Aldridge looks forward to serving on the Chamber Board of Directors because he enjoys helping others and serving his community.
Melinda Newlin was elected to the Choctaw County Chamber Board of Directors in March 2016.
She has enjoyed serving on the Chamber Board and looks forward to serving another term.
“Being a board member has been interestingly fun! I have really enjoyed it. I have met and made friends with some wonderful people in the county,” said Newlin.
Melinda is married to Paul T. Newlin, Jr. for 28 years and they live in Weir. Melinda and Paul have three children and two grandsons – Brandon, 29, and wife Ashley and their son, Kave, 4 years old with another child on the way; Christopher, 27, and his wife Kayla and their son, Xander, 3 years old; and Tori, 25.
Melinda is the Administrative Clerk at the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Department and has been for 11 years. She is a member of the Weir Fire Department and been for 12 years. Melinda is an individual member of the Chamber of Commerce and has served on the First Responders Dinner Committee for 8 years.
She enjoys spending time with family and friends, sunsets, meeting new people and loves working on jigsaw puzzles.
Trey Bowman is a resident of Ackerman. He graduated from Ackerman High School and then continued his studies at Holmes Community College, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Mississippi State University. He was afforded the opportunity to return home while he was working as a Territory Sales Manager for Pennington Seed.
Trey has an entrepreneurial spirit and has been successful starting and exiting multiple business ventures from real estate, oil and gas, media and product development. Trey is currently self- employed and working alongside an investment group based in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Trey is a member of New Zion Baptist Church and the Choctaw/Winston Gideon Camp. He is currently serving as Chairman of the Choctaw County Republican Party and on the Board of Directors for the Holmes Community College Foundation Board. In addition, he volunteers on multiple political campaigns throughout the state in his spare time.
Amy Burdine is a lifelong resident of Choctaw County. She lives in Chester with her husband, Ronnie, and their two children; Kailey, 18, and Eli, 10. She is a member of Salem Independent Methodist Church.
Amy serves as the Choctaw County Circuit Clerk and has for four years. She enjoys watching sports, reading and baking.
“I have lived in Choctaw County my entire life, and I want to help make it a place that we all can be proud to call home,” said Amy about why she serves on the Chamber Board.
Cheryl McIntire is a lifelong resident of Choctaw County. She lives in French Camp with her husband of 28 years, Chris. They have two children, Nolan and Reese and daughter in law, Heather. Cheryl is a graduate of Weir High School. She earned an associate degree from Wood Junior College in 1990 and a Bachelor of Professional Accountancy from Mississippi State University in 1992.
Cheryl is a 20-year employee of North American Coal Corporation, Red Hills Mine where she has served as Business Manager for the last five years. Cheryl is a member of New Haven Baptist Church where she serves as Church Secretary and Treasurer, Organist, and Sunday School Teacher.
