Chyna Vincent – Board Member

Hi,  my name is Chyna Vincent I was raised in Cooke County the majority of my life and graduated from Callisburg ISD. After graduation I completed my degree in Agricultural Media and Communications at West Texas A&M University. I have worked in the employee benefits world for the last 6 years and I am benefits broker at Clark|Adamson Insurance.

 My husband, Josh and our two kids, Jax and Pearl own a show pig operation, where we raise and sell show pigs to kids who participate in FFA and 4-H.  

Darin Allred – Board Member

Darin is a Gainesville native who currently serves as the Director of Marketing at North Texas Medical Center, as well as the Executive Director of the NTMC Foundation. After graduating from Texas Tech University, he worked in the media for several years, serving as the Sports Editor and Managing Editor of the Gainesville Daily Register, and Sports Director at KGAF Radio. Since 2016, he has hosted Cooke County SportsTalk, a weekly show highlighting local athletes and coaches. In addition to the Chamber Board, Darin serves on the Cooke County United Way Board of Directors, and the Gainesville ISD Education Foundation Board. He is also a member of the Gainesville Kiwanis Club.

Dr. Van Miller – Board Member

While I have served as chief financial officer at community colleges in Texas for almost 15 years, my current tenure as Vice Chancellor Fiscal Affairs here at North Central Texas College began in April 2019. While I am relatively new to Cooke County, I am a native Texan and my wife, Ann, and I have three grown sons, all living in the Metroplex. I look forward to the opportunity to represent and serve the business community of Gainesville and Cooke County.”

Amberly Sanborn – Board Member

I am a lifetime resident of Cooke County. I began my career with the Texas Department of Family Protective Services Investigations.

I have recently transitioned to make CASA my career of choice and to serve as a community outreach and training specialist. With the focus on children, we are partnering with all Cooke County school districts. Our goal is to assist teachers by offering social emotional well-being curriculums that develop and strengthen our local mental health resolutions.

Tony Avila – Board Member

I am Tony Avila, full time photographer and a 30+ year resident of Gainesville.  As a member of the Gainesville Community, I have coached community soccer leagues, I’ve been involved with the Chamber since it was at the Medal of Honor Park location, and I was President of GAVA for 5 years.  As President of GAVA, I created and organized the largest event, For The Love of Art, where we raised thousands of dollars for local students.

Many don’t know, I spent 20 years in Aerospace Quality Assurance before pursuing photography full time.

As an active Chamber Ambassador, including Ambassador of the Year and New Member of the Year, I look forward to serving the Chamber of Commerce and watching Gainesville grow and flourish even brighter than before.

Ben Hawkins – Board Member

I grew up in Gainesville and with the exception of 3 years in Lubbock (Wreck ‘Em!) I have lived and worked in and around Gainesville my whole life. I am a real estate appraiser with Merit Advisors and an agent with Tierra Real Estate. Additionally, my wife Shawna and I own The Hungry Hippo Sub Shop and Hawk RV & Boat Storage. I have served on various boards and committees in Gainesville/Cooke County and am currently on the foundation boards for NCTC and Lindsay ISD, I am head of the scholarship committee for the Cooke County Texas Tech Alumni Association, and the Gainesville Summer Sounds committee. I look forward to expanding my involvement in our great community.