Prince George, November 28, 2017 – The Prince George Chamber of Commerce will be searching for a new CEO in the coming months. Erika Ewacha, who joined the Chamber earlier in 2017, has resigned her position as CEO and will be moving on to new endeavors.

“We’d like to thank Erika for her service to the Chamber, and wish her nothing but success in her next venture,” said Prince George Chamber President Corey Naphtali. “The Chamber has a dedicated staff and Board of Directors that will continue to provide the best possible service to our members and to our community.”

Prince George, October 21, 2017 – The Prince George Chamber of Commerce hosted their 32^nd Annual Business Excellence Awards tonight at the Prince George Playhouse. The Business Excellence Awards is an annual event hosted by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce to celebrate excellence in ten traditional award categories as well as the Hell Yeah Prince George Ambassador award which involves an online public vote. The Business Excellence Awards takes place in October as part of the Small Business Month. This year, over 215 people attended the event.

Prince George, September 29, 2017 – The Prince George Chamber of Commerce recently joined Chambers from across the country at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce AGM & Conference held in Fredericton New Brunswick Sept. 23 to 25, 2017.

The annual Conference provides the business community across Canada with the opportunity to discuss key issues affecting Chamber members. The Prince George Chamber joined the Canadian Chamber membership in passing a resolution opposing the proposed Federal tax changes for incorporated businesses. The resolution, entitled “Stop the Harmful Tax Changes on Private Corporations” is a key policy position that the Canadian Chamber will advocate to the Federal Government on behalf of its members.

Prince George, September 27, 2017 – Prince George businesses continue to benefit from working with University of Northern British Columbia students.  CN’s Carbon Reduction Project for Business, by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, heavily relies on these students to help local businesses become more environmentally sustainable.  The Chamber continues to enrich local business as this opportunity provides practical insight into the benefits of carbon footprint reduction.

Prince George, September 12, 2017– The Business Excellence Awards Nominees Luncheon, hosted by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, was held this afternoon at the Coast Inn of the North.  The top 4 nominees in each of the 11 award categories were revealed to an audience of more than 260 guests in attendance. New this year, luncheon attendees were given the opportunity to cast their votes for their business of choice, which was met with excitement. “There was excellent turnout and support from the business community,” said Prince George Chamber President, Corey Naphtali. “We look forward to seeing everyone at the Gala in October”.

Prince George, July 07, 2017 – The Board of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce has appointed Erika Ewacha as CEO and will assume the role of CEO effective July 10, 2017.

Corey Naphtali, President of the Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce that Erika has accepted the position.  “While there are some very large shoes to fill, I am confident that Erika will excel in the role and that while the selection process was onerous, I feel the Board has been able to add value to the Membership by extending the offer”.

Prince George, June 9, 2017 – The Prince George Chamber of Commerce is pleased to return from the BC Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting and delighted to announce three new advocacy wins for Prince George this year. According to Corey Naphtali, President of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, “Leveraging the strength of the BC Chamber network is critical in ensuring our community’s advocacy needs are getting the attention they deserve”

Prince George, April 4, 2017 – After 4 years at the helm of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, CEO Christie Ray is stepping down. Ray shared the news with more than 50 members of the business community in attendance at tonight’s Annual General Meeting.

The newly elected Board of Directors will be tasked with selecting a replacement. Ray has given the board 3 months’ notice. “I wanted to give the Board ample time to find a replacement, and make the transition as seamless as possible,” says Ray. She told the crowd how proud she is of the Chamber’s hard-working staff and their many accomplishments in 2016, which included the first-ever BizRide program (in partnership with the City of Prince George), and Collaborations (a partnership with CNC and UNBC).

Newly elected President Corey Naphtali believes this is an important moment in time for the Chamber. 2016 saw a dip in membership numbers; he wants to change that. “The Chamber hosts over 40 events a year which provide the perfect venue for professionals to get to know each other, face-to-face, and to do business,” says Naphtali. As President, Naphtali intends to make innovation his focus. “We want to make sure businesses in Prince George stay on the cutting edge,” no matter their industry or size.

Naphtali is joined by many returning members on the Board, as well as the addition of new members Kyle Sampson of Pacific Western Brewing and Kallie Smith of the Prince George Aboriginal Business and Community Development Centre. The 2017-18 Board of Directors consists of the following:

Executive:

• President: Corey Naphtali, Partner, KPMG
• Vice-President of Finance: Lorna Wendling, Senior Manager, Deloitte
• Vice-President: Bill Quinn, President, NuStride Executive Coaching
• Vice-President: Frankie Albano, Senior Manager, TBJ LLP
• Past President: Cindi Pohl, Account Manager, Waste Management

Directors (new – 2 year term):

• Kallie Smith, Executive Director, Prince George Aboriginal Business and Community Development Centre
• Kiel Giddens, Community Relations Liaison, and Prince George Regional Office Lead, TransCanada Pipelines
• Kyle Sampson, Manager of Northern BC, Pacific Western Brewing Company
• Kara Biles, Manager of Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning (Human Resources), Canfor
• Roberta Stewart, Lawyer/Partner, Heather Sadler Jenkins LLP
• Ray Noonan, Senior Manager, Northern BC, Scotiabank (1 year term)

Directors (continuing):

• Laurie Dillman, Owner, Go Team Business & People Development
• Derek Dougherty, Assistant Vice President & Branch Manager, Canadian Western Bank
• Daniel Weeks, President & Vice-Chancellor, UNBC
• Paul Mercer, Commercial Account Manager, RBC

The Chamber’s next event is the Administrative Professionals’ Day Breakfast, coming up April 26 at Westwood Church. The Chamber offers a long list of benefits to members, from fuel savings to group insurance. For more details, contact:

Camille MacDonald, Communications Coordinator
C: 250-640-3663 | E: communications@pgchamber.bc.ca

Prince George, Feb 20  2017 – The province – and City of Prince George – have proclaimed February 20-24, 2017 Chamber of Commerce Week to recognize the unwavering commitment of your Prince George Chamber of Commerce in supporting local businesses, boosting economic development opportunities and providing vital resources for businesses in our community.

This week, for example, the Prince George Chamber is hosting two events. The first – tomorrow at 5pm – is an info session on its upcoming familiarization tour of India. The 10-day, all-inclusive trip is perfect for those looking to make international business connections, and those looking for safe, affordable group travel. Then on Thursday, the Chamber will help local businesses access apprentice training opportunities by hosting a “Business After 5” networking event with the Industry Training Authority (ITA). Professionals will meet up at 5pm at The Twisted Cork to learn more about ITA’s resources, and to get to know each other better. From networking to advocacy to group insurance, the Chamber helps local businesses grow and prosper.

The Prince George Chamber is also contributing on a provincial level as well. As a member of the BC Chamber network, we helped to create recommendations that were included in a new report by the Independent Commission on Tax Competitiveness. This report, which compiled suggestions on how to further enhance tax competitiveness for businesses in B.C., was presented to the Minister of Finance. Recommendations included a call for a made-in-B.C. value-added tax, a policy passed by the BC Chamber’s province-wide membership.

So as B.C. celebrates Chamber Week, don’t miss the opportunity to swing by your local Chamber, join in on some Chamber Week events, and celebrate the many ways that B.C.’s Chambers strengthen our communities by getting business done!

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For further details, please contact:
Camille MacDonald – Communications Coordinator, Prince George Chamber of Commerce
communications@pgchamber.bc.ca 250-640-3663

Prince George, BC – The Prince George Chamber of Commerce is proud to bring two highly influential speakers to the city: Perrin Beatty and Ellis Ross.

Honourable Perrin Beatty is President and Chief Executive Officer of the 200,000-member Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canada’s largest and most representative national business association. He is the principal spokesperson advocating the policy positions of the Canadian Chamber’s members to the federal government, international organizations, the media and the general public.

During his nine years as a Councillor with the Haisla Nation, Ellis Ross focused on Aboriginal rights and title and economic development issues. In 2011 he was elected Chief, holding the leadership position until last year, when he left to announce his candidacy with the BC Liberal Party in the upcoming provincial election. Canadian Business magazine named him one of the 50 Canadians who exert the most influence on the country’s business climate and community.

The 2017 Business Development Forum will focus on creating more collaborative relationships with First Nations. What is the future of BC’s natural resource sector? How can Prince George businesses tap into that potential? January 31 at the Ramada, 200 small- to medium-sized enterprises will be in attendance, to hear from Beatty, Ross, and several other speakers.

Chamber CEO Christie Ray is available for interviews. The Chamber is very excited to share news of this exciting development for this event, and for Prince George!

Contact:
Camille MacDonald, Communications Coordinator
C: 250-640-3663
E: communications@pgchamber.bc.ca