Interim Chilliwack Chamber CEO excited to work with local business community amid leadership transition

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CHILLIWACK – Chilliwack has been my home for a long time. It’s where my family and I have built our lives. I’m a husband, a father of four and a business owner. I’m proud to now serve as Interim CEO of the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce.

First, a sincere thank-you to Leanna Kemp for her years of service to the Chamber and to our business community. Leanna leaves behind strong relationships, a dedicated team and a lot of goodwill. I’m grateful for her help in making this a smooth transition. I also want to thank our Board of Directors for trusting me to lead the Chamber over the next few months as we prepare for its next phase of growth.

I’ll admit it. I’m a self-proclaimed business nerd, and one look at my bookshelf will tell you that. Business has been part of my life from the start. It started as a kid, where I’d wander through The Bay department store with my mother and always end up rearranging their messy shelves and displays. How were they going to sell anything looking like that? To me, everything had to be just right. Customers work hard for their money, and a business has to earn it. In my early twenties I started a landscaping company with a good friend. That’s when I first got to know the Chilliwack Chamber, after we were nominated for New Small Business of the Year. From there I moved into selling real estate, then building homes, and now developing real estate. Along the way I’ve worked in economic development, operations, sales and hospitality, including restaurants, venues and hotels. I know what it’s like to make payroll, sign a lease, build a team, chase a permit (or two) and lie awake at night working out the next challenge.

So, I’ll say it plainly: I love business. I love its structure, its organization and the influence it has on everyday life. To me, business is a lot like art. Everyone brings their own ideas and taste. The rules are only guidelines, there to be tested to see what works and what doesn’t. The marketplace is the ultimate judge. Business is where creativity and objective decision-making meet. Even more than that, business is the engine of a community. It creates the jobs, sponsors the teams, fills the main streets and funds the services we all rely on. I have the utmost respect for everyone who takes on that risk and responsibility.

I believe that when economic incentives are aligned and supported, a community and its people can grow and flourish. That’s what a Chamber of Commerce is for. It should make it easier to do business here, give local businesses a strong voice, and help members connect, grow and win. This voice, the voice of business, matters. Through it we have the power to help shape government policy at every level, so it actually works for the people it affects. A strong Chamber is one of the best ways to help make that happen through advocacy and accountability.

My goal is simple, if ambitious. I want to steward what is already strong here and help develop the Chamber into a world-class member organization. I want us to build the best Chamber in the country for its members, one that delivers real value to them and to the wider community. In short, a Chamber that earns its members dues, every day.

This current leadership transition is the right moment to review and reset what the Chamber is and how we can all benefit going forward. That starts with listening. Over the coming weeks I want to hear from as many of you as possible, members and non-members alike. What is the Chamber doing well? Where are we falling short? What would make your membership or sponsorship worth more to you? Working with the Board of Directors, I’ll use what I hear to shape the Chamber’s direction from here.

Let me be clear about one thing. The Chamber works for its members, and so do I. Please don’t wait for a formal invitation. Send me an email, call me directly or stop me at the next Chamber event. Whether you run a one-person shop or a company with hundreds of employees, I want to hear from you on what matters.

Thank you for the warm welcome. I’m looking forward to the work ahead, together.