A n n u A l R e p o R t2011

Kamloops Chamber of CommerCe

Table of Contents

President’s Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Strategic Plan Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42011 Highlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Policy Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Social Issues Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72011 New Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Nominations Committee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Board of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Community Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11Community Supporters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

The Chamber has just completed its latest 3-year strategic plan and the board is pleased with the results.

Whenever we begin to set our long-term goals, the desired outcomes seem so distant and almost lofty. Then, as the staff prepares their business plan to support the board’s goals, we start to see that what we have dreamed may actually be achievable. Throughout the entire process our hard-working team displayed creativity and enthusiasm as we started to see those goals come to fruition.

I wish to thank our board of directors and our fabulous staff for their dedication to the Kamloops Chamber and to our business community. I am proud to be a part of this forward-thinking, leading-edge organization.

President’s Message

Maurice Hindle President

Maurice Hindle, President

“We started to see that what we have dreamed may actually be achievable.

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1. External Relations and Advocacy• RCMP Alerts deliver immediate messages to

our members when there are business related concerns. These popular emails average a 111% open ratio.

• Three member roundtables were conducted to gather input on current business issues.

• A total of fourteen issues were undertaken by the policy committee and brought forward to the entire membership for debate and ratification.

• A regional meeting of interior chambers of commerce was initiated to address regional issues and subsequent meetings are planned

for 2012.

2. Promoting Kamloops• The Community Business Initiatives Group

(CBIG) instigated by the Chamber in 2009 and continues under the leadership of Venture Kamloops. We maintain participation with that

group to help promote business in our city.

Strategic Plan Report

“overall member participation increased by 56% since 2009.

3. Organization Excellence• The board, each committee, task force and

member program has terms of reference which are audited annually.

• Chamber presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have been developed and integrated into regular member communication.

4. Membership• The Chamber achieved 89% and 87%

membership retention in 2010 and 2011 respectively and a record 842 total members in 2011.

5. Member Services• Overall member participation increased by 56%

since 2009.

• A comprehensive communication plan was developed.

• Weekly email blasts were designed to deliver an Events Bulletin (Tuesdays) and Member Bulletin (Thursdays) with special notices on ad hoc Wednesdays.

• A Membership Council was developed and implemented to assist the chamber with new member integration and retention.

The chamber’s latest three-year strategic plan was completed on December 31, 2011. Highlights from our five Key Result Areas for 2011:

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2011 Highlights

386people attended the

gala dinner

29new members attended

140businesses were

nominated

113new members attended

new member orientation

breakfasts

215 members using Chamber of Commerce Group

Insurance Plan

17awards were presented to

business leaders

47members attended monthly

12 @ 12 member input sessions

272nominations submitted

from the community

44members attended Power Hour

facilitated by WOW Leadership

Training

The program celebrated 26 years of

honouring business excellence

Reached an all-time membership high of 842 members

Promoted Kamloops to almost 22,000 visitors

from over 95 countries, 43 states and every

province in Canada

Hosted 2 tradeshows and 13 socials

5 topics covered in Speaker Series SessionsApproximately 1610 people attended the

social events

149 attendees attended speaker series events

Achieved a retention rate of 87.2%Brought in138 new members

Responded to over 4,000 phone calls and emails

2012 winner’s of the RV West Magazine’s 6th Annual

Reader’s Choice Awards “Gold Favourite —Visitor Information

Centre in BC.”

Has a great selection of over 100 “Kamloops, BC Canada”

souvenirs.

Business Excellence Awards

Education

Membership

Visitor Centre

Socials

Speaker Series

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Policy CommitteeMandate:

To consult with business and other groups to form local, provincial and federal advocacy policies

To communicate with all levels of government to advance member and current issues

This highly active committee is well-known in both the provincial and federal policy arenas and is truly becoming the voice of business at home and on the nation’s stage.

Our unique process for creating position papers on government policy reform has served the Kamloops Chamber of Commerce well in our advocacy efforts.

In 2011, after much consultation with our members, this committee developed fourteen position papers on government policy reform. The Kamloops membership debated and voted upon these issues in March our local policy session. Of those, seven were provincially focused and six were

directed to the federal government. Most were passed at the BC and Canadian Chambers of Commerce policy sessions in May and September respectively. Now those organizations are also advocating on behalf of our members at their level of government discussions.

The following policy wins most recently achieved are:

• Implement mobile business licenses

• Raise the qualifying threshold for GST new housing rebates

To view the past three years’ policy statements, see www.kamloopschamber.ca/advocacy.

the voice of business at home and on the

nation’s stage.“

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Mandate:

To reduce crime, homelessness, poverty, and improve public safety in Kamloops.

The Social Issues Committee upgraded from task force to committee status in 2011. The mandate of the committee is to reduce crime, homelessness, poverty, and improve public safety in Kamloops. This mandate is, in a word, ambitious but is an ongoing focus for the Chamber.

Our committee is comprised of Chamber board members and three members-at-large. These people are passionate about seeing business-based solutions implemented to help in the fight against crime.

So far, we have implemented the RCMP Alert, a popular email that goes out to every Chamber member when there is a criminal event occurring (such as pin pad fraud, counterfeit money, scams, etc.).

This is effective in quickly informing our business members so they can protect their businesses and their customers. The success of this program has been seen in thankful emails from Chamber members to our office as well as a 111% open ratio of the email blasts when they’re sent out.

Current projects include working with the RCMP to further educate our members about such programs as Auto Theft, Business Theft and Personal Safety. We are also working with the RCMP and Crown Counsel to develop a Community Impact Statement which will be used within the court system to demonstrate the effect that crime has on our business community. We look forward to making a difference in tangible ways.

“…passionate about seeing business-based solutions implemented to help in the fight against crime.

Social Issues Committee

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2011 New Members• a to Z referrals

• a Touch of home

• abK restoration services

• adroit Technologies

• aetas Inticto (ai) Technology

services Inc.

• ahead automation

• ana bananas Custom Cakes

and more

• aon Kamloops

• ashbridge Consulting Group

• ask Wellness Centre

• association francophone de

Kamloops

• barb's bouquets

• bighorn security Inc.

• bilkey law llp

• bIZlINKs

• blenz Coffee

• booster Juice

• brain Train International

• Canadian freightways

• Canart Cattle Co. ltd.

• Care systems / Care systems

services

• Cf & D / Cb Design build Inc

• Cirque resources

• Cobra Contracting / Changes

enterprses Inc.

• Combined Insurance

• Complete home renovations

• Cora

• Cristal Clear solutions

• Cruizin K9

• Crystal Glass Canada

limited

• Desire by fire beadworks

• Development Tours

• Dominion lending Centers

Western lending source

• Dr. frederick J. Kruger Inc.

• Dragon Decorative Concrete

Company

• elegance salon

• family Guidance system

• fhTm - Kelli pozzobon

• finning Canada

• flight Centre

• fraser family Chiropractic

• Gary's eurpoean sausage

• GsI Inc.

• h&r block Canada Inc.

• hands on health

physiotherapy

• hanford electric ltd.

• hearthstone lodge \

hearthstone lodge ltd.

• Innovex engineering

• Inspire Chiropractic &

Wellness studio

• Invis financial mortgage

brokers – mary-ellen Colman

• Kamloops auto service

• Kamloops Centre for

spiritual living

• Kamloops Classic swimming

• Kamloops Innovation Centre

• Kamloops momma

magazine

• Kamloops Night out /

Nightout

• Kamloops pest Control

services

• Kamloops scene

• Kamloops surf

• Kelly funk - Natural

Wonders photography

• KG Creative Consulting

• KGhm ajax mining Inc.

• King Transport services

• Kix 4 Chix fitness Kamloops

• Kodiak mechanical ltd.

• labounty plumbing &

heating

• laughing swan farm

• legends Indoor Golf ltd.

• lizzie bits baby Co.

• locost Window Cleaning

• loop Deals Canada

• manhattan Grill

• marquis advertising Group Inc.

• mike Tongi – personal

health & Wellness Coach

• mills basics

• mindteams professional

support services

• Nav Canada

• New Wave advertising

Group Inc.

• Newport structures ltd.

• Noble soda blasting Co.

• Nucerity International

• on Call Wireless Inc.

• peaks media Inc.

• pet planet

• phoenix Centre

• pinegrove Campground &

rV park

• platinum auto sports

• precision plumbing

Commercial-residential and

service

• primerica financial services

• Quaaout lodge & Talking

rock Golf

• rainbow's roost

• re/max bertie Collins

• re/max Trevor finch

• rG strategies

• river City rock products ltd.

• riverbend manor

• ron Can electric ltd.

• samara leadership

• scott's INN & restaurant

• service plus/The fireplace

Gallery

• signs & posts

• simply Colors

• sips martinis & Tapas

• skye emergency planning

• smooth air systems Canada

Dba hi-Tech Vacuums

• snug Glee bumz Diaper service

• social fire / Kuromi enterprises

• sonic sound and light Inc.

• source equipment Inc.

• spark Your Imagination

• suede hills organic farm

• sweet home Café

• sweet pea Childcare

• syncrety Technology

solutions Inc.

• synergy Counselling

associates ltd.

• T.r.U.e. Consulting

• The bone & biscuit Co.

• The Glove Guy

• The North american Truckers

Guild Inc.

• The Zoo Ice Cream

• Theatre bC

• Think Green painting

• Thompson Valley Disaster

Kleenup

• Thurber engineering ltd.

• Tk'emlups Indian band -

business Development

• Tupperware

• Twin rivers market

• Twongo Canada ltd.

• Underwraps advertising

solutions

• Unique adventure Tours

• Visual statement

• Viva fashion Group ltd.

• Wamaco Distributors ltd

• WCG International

Consultants

• Welcome Change redesigns

• Wikads Inc

• Woo hoo Designs

• World financial Group

• Worthington business,

real estate and equipment

appraisals

• Yellow pages Group

Nominations CommitteeEach year it is the duty of the nominations committee to seek directors with the expertise needed to assume the tasks within our strategic plan. According to our bylaws, the committee must present to the membership a group of individuals whom we deem suited for these responsibilities.

Amongst the applications received, the committee carefully short-listed and interviewed for the three open positions. Included in our talented team we also have X directors who are up for re-election this year. We are pleased to present the following individuals for your consideration:

Nominations Committee

Jennifer Harbaruk Welcome to the Babyhood!

Paul Ross Simmons, Black & Emsland Insurance Services

Ryan Scorgie Morelli Chertkow LLP

Dale Found Newgold Inc.

Maurice Hindle MOLY-COP Canada

Peter Aylen Absorbent

Products Ltd.

Steve Earl Holiday Inn & Suites

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Board of Directors

Maurice Hindle President MOLY-COP Canada

Brent Ashby Director KPMG

Mona Murray Director MCM Real Estate

Dan Lockwood Director Finning (Canada)

Aleece Laird Treasurer Fresh Inc.

Jeremy Heighton Director WOW Leadership

Training

Nancy Bepple City Alternate

Peter Aylen Past President Absorbent

Products Ltd.

Dale Found Director Newgold Inc.

Mel Rothenburger Director Kamloops Daily News

Bob Dieno Vice President Nu-Tech Fire &

Safety

Rick Heney Director Fulton & Co

Brant Hasanen BC Chamber of Commerce Representative

Steve Earl Secretary Holiday Inn & Suites

Neil Leonard Director Kamloops Indian Band

Development Corp.

Tina Lange City Representative

Deb McClelland Executive Director

Ann Eppinger Manager, Visitor Centre

Lisa Ottenbreit Sales & Marketing Coordinator

Deborah Osborne Administrative Assistant

Jamie Mayes Events Coordinator

Staff

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Community Partnerships• british Columbia Chamber executives

• british Columbia Chamber of Commerce

• Chamber of Commerce executives of Canada

• City business alliance

• Communities in bloom

• Community business Initiatives Group

• Coordinated enforcement Task force

• Graffiti Task force

• Kamloops Women in business

• leadership Council for homelessness action plan

• mayor’s business organizations advisory

• santa Claus parade

• school District 73 business Company

• sIfe TrU business advisory board

• Venture Kamloops business Corral

Community Supporters• aberdeen mall

• absorbent products

• bC hydro power smart

• bClC

• bDC business Development bank

• berwick on the park

• broadcast Centre

• City of Kamloops

• Community futures Thompson Country

• Daley & Company

• excel personnel

• home hardware

• Joy factory

• Judy basso events & Décor

• Kamloops Daily News

• Kamloops ford lincoln

• Kent Wong photography

• KGhm ajax mining Inc.

• KpmG

• lee's music

• lizzie bits baby Company

• sp restaurant

• pulse Group

• rbC royal bank

• sandler Training

• TD Canada Trust

• Tk'emlups Indian band

• Tourism Kamloops

• Tourism sun peaks

• TrU–school of business & economics

• Underwriters Insurance brokers

• Venture Kamloops

• Wayside

• WoW leadership Training

w w w. k a m l o o p s c h a m b e r. c a

Kamloops Chamber of Commerce 1290 W Trans-Canada Hwy.,

Kamloops, BC, Canada V2C 6R3

Phone (250) 372–7722 Fax (250) 828–9500

mail@kamloopschamber.ca

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