At The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, this past year went very quickly. At the same time, a lot was accomplished.
It was a year of transition. After 17 years with Dave Angus as the CEO of The Chamber, Loren Remillard took on the responsibility – and the transition was seamless. The Chamber’s management and staff responded to this shift with dedication, passion, and a focus on planning and execution as a team. They focused on their strategic priorities and executed in an agile manner by adjusting quickly to changing circumstances and capitalizing on opportunities.
Beyond leadership, it was a year of major change in many other aspects. Change is not easy for any organization and especially for an organization that is more than 140 years old. Your Chamber’s changes included (but weren’t limited to) a more proactive approach to membership engagement, enhanced revenue generation, new programming, and higher level of engagement with the City and the Province.
Many thanks for those members who stepped up to be Chamber Champions – a new level of partnership that engages key members and provides dedicated support for your Chamber’s work.
The Chamber and City of Winnipeg continued to collaborate on events, such as the City Summit. This year also saw the beginning of the permits desk at the Chamber: a new height for engagement between The Chamber and the City that will help both our members and our larger community.
The Small Business Forums have been tremendously successful, whether you measure the sheer number or variety of attendees. The Chamber has also been very active in advocating for our members and for a more prosperous Winnipeg in meetings with all three levels of government. The new provincial government has been very open to input from The Chamber, which is appreciated.
Although there isn’t enough room to list all the accomplishments of The Chamber for this past year, it is important to note the result of all the changes: The Chamber ended the year with the most members in its history, coupled with one of the best financial performances in a very long time. Our Chamber is fortunate to have such loyal members, an engaged and experienced Board of Directors and enthusiastic, professional, and dedicated staff powering these results. I feel privileged and grateful to have the opportunity to serve as Chair of the Board during this critical year.
Board Chair, The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, 2016-2017
