During the year 1931 the Gladewater Chamber of commerce was formed with R.M. Wood as the first president. On April 23,1946 the Gladewater Chamber of Commerce became incorporated with twenty-one directors to serve the needs of the membership. Today the Gladewater Chamber of commerce has, over 640 members served by a dedicated Board of Directors and a full time staff. For over six decades, business and professional people have joined together in the Gladewater Chamber of Commerce to shape the future of Gladewater and the surrounding area.

The Gladewater Chamber of Commerce is a voluntary partnership of business and professional people working together to build a healthy economy and to improve the quality of life in your community. As your chamber works to accomplish these goals, it has many hats: economic developer and planner; tourist information center; business spokesperson; economic counselor and teacher; government relations specialist; human resources advisor; and public relations practitioner. Simply stated, your chamber is business and professional people working together to make your community a better place for everyone to live and work.
The Gladewater Chamber is run by its members. They elect a Board of Directors that determines policies and sets goals. A president presides over all Board meetings. Your chamber's day-to-day operations are handled by a professional manager. This person is a paid employee. Some small communities have managers who are either volunteers or part-time employees. Members often become involved in chamber activities by working on committees. These committees range from economic development, education and human resources to conventions, tourism, public affairs and government relations.