The Sylvan Lake Chamber of Commerce announced a new executive team on a Facebook post dated March 31.
Jeff Palmer is the new president. Joining him are eight directors, with Kate Douglas and Khristie Looy as vice-presidents and Serena Reid as Treasurer.
"As a new board, we are focused on the basics and building upon the foundation that the former board worked so hard to provide us," said Palmer. "We are entering this year with a fresh mindset and new perspectives, ideas, and passion for our business community. In this, we strive to nurture and provide value to our current members, extend a warm welcome to new members, work at rebuilding trust and value within our community and reconnect with former members who may have felt disconnected in the past."
Palmer says recent years have been filled with transition, discovery and a little bit of triage. He says the Chamber is in a better place than they were last year, however, there are still some challenges that it is currently working through.
"Our goal is to create a Chamber that truly serves its members through consistency, transparency and integrity – one that listens, supports, and advocates for the success of Sylvan Lake businesses," he added. "Over the coming months, we’ll be working to enhance communication, improve member engagement, and ensure that the Chamber is a valuable resource for all."
Short-term priorities for the Chamber include:
- Implementing a brand-new website
- Decommission the app and utilize the website for advertising and communication
- Reevaluate the membership tiers and explore value-added benefits through partners, members, and the Alberta Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Chamber of Commerce
- Create policies that are not currently in place for day-to-day operations with a system of checks and balances. This includes updating bylaws
- Build the framework for successful events such as mixers, lunch and learns, the Chamber Awards and the Golf Tournament
- Build a long-term financial framework that will allow the organization to pay off its CEBA loan, utilize grants and other opportunities and build financial resiliency in the organization
- Utilize the short-term strategic plan while the organization constructs a strategic plan that fosters growth within the organization and establishes a metric of long-term success
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