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The Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors and corporate trustees announced today that Anna Norton has been named the chamber’s executive director.

The Atmore native served as the interim executive director prior to her appointment.

“Anna Norton is a native of Atmore with established relationships, roots that run deep within our community and a passion to do what it takes to be a part of the city’s growing success,” chamber officials said in a release.

Norton is a 2004 graduate of Escambia Academy.

While attending school she was involved in many clubs and organizations, including the chamber’s Youth Leadership Atmore program (YLA).

Norton played basketball and won three state championships under Coach Chad Prewett. Norton’s passion for basketball can still be seen on the sidelines as a volunteer Pee Wee basketball coach. Her love for youth development was started at an early age, as Norton’s first job was as a counselor at the Atmore Area YMCA.

Earlier in life, Norton lived in California because of the military.

During this stint, she was able to dip her toes into life in a larger city as she volunteered for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

This aids her in bringing different aspects and ideas from big-city-life to our community, chamber officials said.

Transplanted on the West Coast, Anna could not stay away from home too exceedingly long; she made sure to visit when it was time for Mayfest and Williams Station Day.

While moving about, Norton worked to obtain her associate’s degree from Craven Community College in North Carolina. She has now set a new goal of a bachelor’s degree in integrated marketing and communications from the University of West Alabama. Norton will complete this degree in the fall of 2021.

“The chamber board of directors trust that she will make an outstanding executive director for our organization,” officials said. “We are thrilled to have someone with such great history and culture leading the chamber.”