Board of Directors - Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce

I am pleased and honored to introduce myself as the 2009 Chair of the Board for the Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce. I am thrilled to serve as the Chair of Thunder Bay’s premiere business association. To begin with, I would like to thank my college and predecessor, Brian Babcock for his dedication, and hard work that he provided in the past year serving as Chair of the Board. It is my great honor to represent our talented staff and our dedicated board of directors, who are in pursuit of a shared of greatness. I look forward to working with this dynamic group of business people to continue the vision of the Chamber as Thunder Bay’s “Voice of Business”.

Our community is facing challenging times with the current global economic conditions. We are at a point in time when we must work together as a community to harness our resources, expertise and creativity to continue to keep our community vibrant and prosperous. The Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce will continue to develop strategies and opportunities to encourage communication and participation in shaping our community. I would like to encourage the members of the Chamber of Commerce to become active, engaged and involved in our committees. Whether you are an educator, small business owner, large business owner, not for profit, medical professional or manufacturer, together we have the ability to connect our strengths and keep our city thriving for our children. Thunder Bay has a lot to offer. We have a strong Mid-Level Manufacturing sector, businesses are supporting other businesses by exchanging of goods, we support our own by buying locally. We house a business community that is resilient and willing to diversify. Through the course of the year, the Chamber of Commerce will continue to offer different events that will benefit the membership as a whole. Our Health and Wellness Show, Wedding Wishes Show, Superior Taste, Outdoor Show and Trade Show, benefits members large and small and brings in visitors from all over the Region. Our After Business and various networking events bring together Chamber members to network, exchange ideas and services. The Business Awards recognizes the excellence in business practices, and success that the residents of the City of Thunder Bay have grown accustomed to. The Chamber of Commerce will continue to Grow these events and ensure that its members have a place to market and showcase their business expertise.

Over the next year, I would like to build alliances with other organizations in our city to broaden our horizon. I believe that such alliances could be beneficial to the Board and our potential partners and most important, help make Thunder Bay a better place to live, work and play. The Board of Directors will continue to develop policy that will serve the Chamber of Commerce membership. I would like to emphasize the importance of open communication between the members of the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Directors. It is imperative that we know what is driving the membership and what is affecting your business, positive and negative. As a Board, we are only as strong as our Membership allows us to be.