Debbie Melton

Determined. Accomplished. Persistent. Positive. Committed. Inspiring. Role Model. Leader. These are all words that have been used to describe the winner of our Community First Award in Business, Debbie Melton.

In 2009, when Melton was informed that General Motors was going to close her family-owned car dealership, she enlisted the community’s help to petition GM to keep the dealership open. She wanted to keep the business going, save jobs for her employees and service existing customers. Melton and her team responded to adversity and overcame the odds. Not only was she successful in keeping the GMC-Pontiac-Buick dealership, she was also successful in obtaining the Chevrolet line and building a new $2M facility which was investment in the Bradley County community.

She is one of very few women that own a dealership in the GMC world, but she does not let being a busy business woman keep her from being involved in many other areas of the community. She gives back to her community by serving with United Way, the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, the Salvation Army, Boys and Girls Club and First United Methodist Church of Cleveland, where she and her family are members.

Melton and her husband, Ken, are the parents to triplets, Ella Marie, Jessica and Will.