About

In the spring of 2022 a vision of bringing a sense of unity among all businesses - large and small - in the Van Zandt County region became a passion of the Founder and Executive Director of Greater Van Zandt Merchants Association. The magic that was experienced, combined with the hospitality of East Texans was welcoming. The goal… create something that went beyond what a chamber of commerce can do. Simply speaking…
A merchants association is focused on helping members of a specific industry, demographic, and/or needs assessment, such as, women in communication and accessibility to all individuals.
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A chamber works to promote the interest of a business community at large.

​So the Founder set out on this journey to ensure honesty, integrity, and transparency was established as a nonprofit organization that would allow Greater Van Zandt Merchants Association to engage in activities that are substantially related to the accomplishment of the organization’s mission and purpose.

​The goal is clear… Greater Van Zandt Merchants Association will operate with meaningful initiatives aimed at creating systemic change to improve quality of life with economic stimuli.
So she began building her team!

Kathy holDway

Kathy Holdway comes to GVZMA to be our Chairman of the Board with a great deal of experience. As founder/president of Circle of 10, she has empowered leaders, nonprofits and communities in grassroots community building, program and grant development for 35 years. She has developed a training and support program to build individual and agency capacity in rural regional, state and national initiatives. She is versed in leveraging local resources and bringing in new funds for sustainable services through collaborations engaging diverse stakeholders. Her nonprofit has developed initiatives that have increased services and funding for art, education, health, housing and business development. All of this makes her the best choice for GVZMA to make a real difference.

Kelli holmes

An asset is something of great value but to say that Kelli Holmes Hendrickson is merely an asset would be an understatement. After being awarded an art scholarship to Texas Wesleyan College, she has continued a successful art career, being featured in solo and group exhibits and winning numerous awards for her talent and creativity. This creativity drove her to become the creator of corporate marketing prototypes & concept developments; lead designer for O'Neil's Home Furnishings; and owner of Art-Zone Classes for Kids in Keller TX. While owning the Ben Wheeler Creative Art Center, Kelli facilitated adult classes & workshops in various mediums to inspire many.
She has spent 10+ years as a recreational therapist, program developer, and marketing consultant who has developed several successful volunteer programs and spent time working tirelessly for Boy Scouts of America, Hickory Hills Neighborhood Association, Merchants of Downtown Edom, and Canton Main Street Program, just to name a few. Her current projects are housed under the roof of The Experience located in Edom, Texas where she continues to bring together talented individuals in creative ways to foster community efforts that benefit everyone. As a business owner, she has built a strong background in what makes the customer keep coming back. Her drive and sense for details combined with her community involvement is why she was chosen to serve as the first Vice President of Community Relations.

​KAtherine “Kt” gillings-Ahumada

KT’s small business career started in 2016 when she first discovered her passion for giving back to the community. She used her profits to support various groups in her community such as the JF Shea Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center, Girl Scouts of America, and many others.
In school, KT earned her Associates of the Arts in Child Development, Cultural Anthropology and American Sign Language before moving to Humboldt State University where she focused her studies on Child Life Development. After completing clinical hours in the on campus preschool, KT graduated with her Bachelors of Arts in Child Development with emphasis in American Sign Language and Family Studies. She accepted a position as a Behavior Therapist, which led to her move to the bay area where she taught American Sign Language at CSUMB and began her Masters at Florida Technical Institute in Applied Behavior Analysis. She continued her studies as she moved to Texas and began to study under several BCBAs in the clinical setting. In December of 2020, KT reignited her passion with her small business and opened in Edom, Texas after falling in love with the people and the culture. KT accepted a position as the behavioral specialist for Athens ISD in February 2021, but continues to run The Thistle Room on the weekends and during breaks. Her passion for Edom led her to join GVZMA in order to give back to the community and help Edom and surrounding areas grow.