The Guthrie Center Chamber of Commerce is getting ready for a new year, with a new president.

Erika Willms, Owner of Pearls & Lace Country Boutique, is the new Chamber President in Guthrie Center, and she says she’s excited to get to work. She mentions that she’s looking forward to what the Chamber can do in the community, and to working with the new Main Street Guthrie Center Director Lindsay Gilland.

Willms tells Raccoon Valley Radio what she thinks will help her in the coming year.

“I think having some retail experience and owning my own business here in Guthrie Center kind of gives me some insight to, like our main street and our businesses.”

Willms adds that she’d like to see the downtown area flourish, and that there’s a lot of opportunity for that to happen. She says that support from existing businesses and the community, and hopefully some new entrepreneurs will also help to boost the life of the downtown area.