The Wilmington Chamber of Commerce’s board elected Hal Kitchin as its chairman this year.

Kitchin is a partner at the local office for the McGuireWoods law firm, where he specializes in the areas of business disputes, real estate litigation, antitrust and creditors’ rights.

As a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill undergraduate student, Kitchin was a John M. Morehead scholar. He was editor of Wake Forest Law Review when he attended Wake Forest’s law school.

He has served as the chamber’s treasurer, second vice chairman and first vice chairman as well as a member of the chamber’s Education Foundation Board. He currently serves as chairman of the Cape Fear Future Foundation Board.

As chairman of the chamber board, Kitchin succeeded Emily Longley, of Longley Supply Company, who continues to serve on the board as immediate past chairwoman.

Besides Kitchin, the board’s leadership team is made up of first vice chairman Rickey Godwin III, of McGladrey; second vice chairman Dallas Romanowski, of Cornerstone Advisory Partners; and treasurer Chris Boney, of LS3P Associates.

Other new members who were elected and appointed to the board of directors for 2013 included: Dan Darazsdi (PPD); John Elliott (Duke Energy); John Gizdic (New Hanover Regional Medical Center); Chris Jones (IronGate Partners); Mitch Lamm (First Citizens); Jim Mahan (Live Oak Bank); Paul McCombie (NewBridge Bank); and Will Stanfield (Cape Fear Bonded Warehouse).