The Quitman Chamber of Commerce has tabbed a native to take control of the organization after former Executive Director Christine Thomas took over the reins of the Wood County Economic Development Commission.   

Heather Trammell hit the ground running in her new post and has high hopes for the growth and activity of the Quitman Chamber. Trammell, a 2008 Quitman graduate, is excited about her new post.

“I had noticed that Mineola and Winnsboro chambers were each doing a lot of good things. I thought the opportunity to serve my hometown of Quitman through the chamber would be a great opportunity and a good position to use my experience and skills to serve the community,” Trammell explained. “I knew I had the organizational skills background and I have a passion to serve Quitman. Now I am getting to do something for my city. I feel blessed I was able to get the position.”

Trammell is already planning for the immediate future of the chamber.

“One of the things I want to do is to start the process to become a Main Street. City Administrator James Attaway is also on board for this project,” Trammell noted. “We are actually looking to start a Main Street committee and would like to find folks who might want to serve in that capacity. They can serve on the committee or maybe just help out in the effort. There is a lot to do starting with a 26-page application process. I really want to have a strong bond among our business leaders in Quitman.”

Trammel is excited about various projects in Quitman. “The Memory Care Center over east of UT Health is a really big deal. The center will give the area the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of memory care health and will be a leader in that field. This is huge for Quitman,” Trammell added. “The Kiwanis Walking and Biking Trail, the opportunity for a hotel and the proposed apartment complex are exciting and will benefit all of us.” 

Trammell comes to the chamber after working as an engineering support specialist at Peoples Communications where she also served as a billing representative. 

Trammel also has experience in the hotel/motel industry. She was the assistant general manager of Residence Inn by Marriott in Tyler. While in that position Trammell trained employees to work the front desk and to assist customers at check-in and check-out. She also created work schedules for the front desk and the bar. Trammell created and sent performance records to the corporate office.

Trammell received an associate’s degree in general studies at Tyler Junior College where she minored in business administration. She also worked as the sales manager at Fairfield Suites Tyler South and was the front office manager at Fairfield Inn and Suites in Van.

Trammell earned national attention when she was part of a team with her mother, Dawn, and sister, Rachel, who won $10,000 taking the top prize in the Food Network’s Cupcake Wars competition in 2013.