Sara Hughes, the Work Based Learning (WBL) coordinator at Oglethorpe County High School, has joined the chamber of commerce board. She hopes to make a bridge between education and local businesses. (Photo/McCain Bracewell)
Ronnie Boggs stepped in as chairman of the Oglethorpe County Chamber of Commerce earlier this year following the resignation of former chairman Williamson Sintyl.
Sintyl, whose tenure was marked by successful business recruitment and community outreach, stepped down for a job opportunity in Atlanta. Sintyl had been in the role since January 2024.
“We were very blessed to have Williamson as a member of the chamber and on the board,” Boggs said. “During his short time as chairman, he did a very good job of recruiting new businesses to the chamber. We certainly appreciated his service and understood why he needed to step down.”
Boggs, formerly the chamber’s secretary and a representative from the Lexington Downtown Development Authority, has stepped into the chairman’s role for the third time.
The chamber’s board of directors saw mostly returning members with a few shifts in positions.
Claudia Reit took on the secretary role, in addition to her women’s leadership development initiative. Tom Thon, a professional photographer and retired actor, is the vice chair. Linda Parish, the former tourism and hospitality director, has the new title of depot manager & events coordinator.
With years of experience with the chamber, Boggs hopes to bring steady leadership and a fresh perspective to the organization’s initiatives.
He has goals to reinstitute election structures into the leadership, specifically in which three members rotate off the board annually, making room for new individuals and fresh ideas.
Sara Hughes, the Work Based Learning (WBL) coordinator at Oglethorpe County High School, is among the new faces on the board.
“It’s great to have somebody like Sara,” Boggs said. “She’s new on the board. You get new ideas. You get new suggestions.”
Hughes sees her involvement as a vital bridge between education and local business.
“Because I have students employed throughout the county, it was a great opportunity for making connections for students and also helping to support the local community with talent and future workforce,” she said.
In her first year as the WBL coordinator, the program has grown to a full-time endeavor. Hughes hopes her involvement with the chamber will benefit not only her students, but also the local economy.
“(I) can’t overemphasize the power of networking, and for businesses to find out that they have this talent pool right in their own backyard,” Hughes said. “I think there will be more and more opportunities as I continue to promote the program and also help grow the chamber of commerce.”
The chamber also welcomed continued service from board members like Owen Bullard, financial adviser at Edward Jones, now serving in a support role after a period as co-chairman, and John Robertson, who will work with the chamber in collaboration with the Economic Development Agency.
The Historic Depot is another focal point for Boggs.
“I want to make the chamber depot more self-sustaining,” he said. “When people see the chamber depot, they see the Crawford Depot, so making the depot pay for itself.”