How Did You Do It? I consider myself very fortunate tohave had the unusual opportunityto serve as Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors for a second year.I have enjoyed my time on the Board since I joined in 2010, and I am even more enthusiastic about our Chamber now than I was then. The outstanding staff, exemplary management and supportive and diverse Board continue to impress and explain why the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce is truly a leader in the community, the province and the country.
High calibre events, known for their informational, educational and networking opportunities are offered throughout the year.Your Chamber continues to monitor, assess and revise these first-rate events, ensuring that they remain relevant and well attended.Where a change is needed, an event may either be replaced with something more pertinent, or tweaked to take it to the ‘Next Level’. Our Policy work has carried on unabated with discussions and resolutions around such topics as Apprenticeship Ratios, reduced red tape for business, cannabis in the community and in the workplace and Bill 148.Your Chamber also continues to work with VIA Rail and government officials to ensure that the return of passenger and proper freight rail service to Peterborough becomes a reality.
In last year’s report, I referred to the Chamber’s solid financial position from which we could assess the future of Chambers of Commerce and determine the best course for ours.To that end, the Board has spent much of the past year hearing from Chamber of Commerce leadership, studying Canadian Chamber turnarounds and polling our members about products and services we provide. We were able to take the time to carefully measure our strengths and weaknesses, listen to our members, anticipate changes in the next decade and choose the optimum strategy for both current and yet-to-be members.
In the coming months we will take the final steps in analyzing our data and choosing a value proposition package which we believe will serve our members well into the coming decade.The thoughtful and comprehensive approach to this review – both reflective and predictive – illustrates well the practical, open and inclusive management style which has taken us so far in past years.
I have no doubt that this team will create a successful and industry leading strategic solution which will have Chambers of Commerce across the country asking your Chamber, once again, “How did you do it?” Jim Hill 2018 Chair of the Board James F. Hill, Financial Management Services
