SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — Tamela Mydell has been named chairwoman of the Effingham County Chamber of Commerce, stepping into leadership as the organization marked its 40th anniversary during the 2026 Annual Meeting & Awards Reception at Stillwell Pines.

Mydell, a local business owner and longtime chamber member, succeeds Chairman Bret Bennett, who passed the gavel during the event themed “40 Years of Chamber Magic.” The transition comes as the chamber reflects on four decades of business development, community partnerships and economic growth in Effingham County.

The chamber honored Joe Marchese of Marchese Commercial Construction with the Small Business Award. It also posthumously honored Harry Shearouse with the John Adam Treutlen Award for outstanding community leadership and service.

Looking ahead

“I’m excited and nervous at the same time,” Mydell said. “I feel that I started from the bottom. I went from being a chamber member to being on the board, and I’ve worked my way up.”

Mydell, who opened the Southern Kafe on 17 in Guyton 14 years ago, said she plans to focus on strengthening member engagement and ensuring longtime supporters feel recognized.

“We have chamber members who have been members since the chamber started 40 years ago,” she said. “Some of them quietly pay their dues year after year. I want them to know we see them and we appreciate them.”

She also plans to continue expanding programs such as the chamber’s ambassador initiative, which connects businesses with resources and outreach.

“The ambassadors are the face of the chamber,” Mydell said. “They’re out in the community interacting with businesses every day, and we want them to be a strong resource for business owners.”

Mydell said she sees her new role as both personal and symbolic.

“It’s an exciting time for me to be a woman and a Black woman taking on this role and being able to lead in our community,” she said. “I’m looking forward to how these 40 years will shape the next 40 years for the chamber.”

Bennett praised Mydell’s leadership style.

“She has a remarkable way of showing up, very quietly and behind the scenes, never looking for recognition,” he said. “She understands small business not from a textbook or presentation, but because she’s lived it.”

Forty years of growth

The leadership transition took place during a celebratory evening that highlighted the chamber’s 40-year history and its role in supporting local business.

“For 40 years, this chamber has been bringing together the right people, creating opportunities, opening doors and helping good things happen throughout Effingham County,” Chamber CEO Susan Kraut said. “Our kind of magic usually involves a lot more meetings and considerably less applause.”

Bennett, in his final remarks as chairman, reflected on strengthening the chamber’s governance and supporting staff-led operations. He also highlighted the reactivation of the Two Rivers Foundation, a chamber-affiliated foundation that allows tax-exempt contributions from businesses and corporations.

“Small business is the heartbeat of this community,” Bennett said. “They deserve a chamber that doesn’t simply celebrate a ribbon-cutting but stands beside them as a network, a conduit and a partner in their success.”

Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns praised the chamber’s impact on the region.

“The Effingham County Chamber of Commerce is second to none anywhere in this state,” Burns said. “It brings people together and helps tell the story of what makes this county special.”

Kraut closed the evening by reflecting on the chamber’s evolution since its founding.

“It’s people who choose every single day to invest in one another and in the future of this community,” she said. “That is the real magic.”