The Dawson County Chamber of Commerce is changing its image.

For nearly 11 years, Dawson County has been recognized more by its geographical shape than by what the county has to offer tourists, businesses and residents.

That has all changed.

After four months of hard work, the chamber has a new logo.

From the very beginning, we knew we wanted to create a brand for the chamber that fits our members and our community, said Chamber President Christie Haynes. Rivers, lakes and mountains are a part of who we are. The new logo gives people the perfect visual. The new logo features soft greens and blues with three mountain peaks above the words Dawson County Chamber of Commerce, with a blue wisp of water beneath. It was unveiled recently at a monthly Chamber of Commerce luncheon. I like the new chamber logo, said County Commission Chair Mike Berg. I believe it encases a modern view while suggesting our mountain vistas. The chamber looked at hundreds of logos for ideas and conducted two small-group sessions with chamber members, board, and community leaders to get opinions on the new look. We asked a lot of off-the-wall questions about colors, what words people associated with Dawson County, and we wanted something clean and easy to work with, Haynes added. The new logo also will be showcased on the chambers website, which is being redesigned. I think its great. ... Here we are sitting right between the mountains and Lake Lanier, said Dawsonville Mayor James Grogan. The look is more modern and incorporates most aspects of the county. The Convention and Visitors Bureau, housed under the chamber of commerce, is getting a new name The Office of Development and Tourism in order to distinguish it from the chamber. It is important to differentiate between the chamber of commerce, which focuses on promoting local businesses, and the Office of Tourism and Development, that focuses on attracting tourists, said Haynes. The two are also funded differently. The chambers money comes from membership dues, and funds for the Office of Tourism and Development (OTD) from the countys hotel bed tax. At the end of the day, its all about raising investments in the community, Hayes said. Peter Hill, chair of the chambers board, said the purpose is to establish a brand for the chamber. Clearly, this logo is derived in part from our chamber slogan, where the mountains meet the lakes, he said. Its eye-catching and doesnt require explanation like the Scotty dog sometimes did.