MBiz

MAY 2014 VOL. 5 BIZ MB MANITOBA CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE mbchamber.mb.ca PRESIDENT & CEO Chuck Davidson DIRECTOR OF POLICY & COMMUNICATIONS Cory Kolt WINNIPEG FREE PRESS winnipegfreepress.com PUBLISHER Bob Cox VICE PRESIDENT SALES Laurie Finley MANAGER OF NICHE PRODUCTS Barb Borden barb.borden@freepress.mb.ca EDITOR Pat St. Germain pdstgermain@gmail.com WRITERS Jackie De Pape Hornick Wendy King Jennifer McFee Holli Moncrieff David Square PHOTOGRAPHY Darcy Finley Fred Greenslade David Square Numerous organizations supplied DESIGN Jane Chartrand PRINTING Quantum Graphics • 2014 AGM .................... 4 • Western ...................... 10 • Parkland .................... 14 • 'pegBiz Magazine .. 17(1) • Norman ...................... 18 • Pembina Valley .......... 20 • Central ...................... 22 • Interlake .................... 24 • Midwest ..................... 26 • Eastern ...................... 28 FEATURED THIS MONTH IN MBIZ: D P D Fr D N su D Ja P Q 20 22 24 26 28 S oon after taking over as president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce (MCC) last June, Chuck Davidson was inundated with calls from local chamber executives who wanted the MCC to facilitate a professional development association that would help chambers across Manitoba unite, learn and grow. Now they have it. The Chamber Executives of Manitoba (CEM) is made up of managers and staff of chambers of commerce and boards of trade. The MCC is serving as the administrative body, but Davidson says the CEM will be an independent body. "The local chambers asked for this and for it to be successful and be of value to them, we have to let them grow and develop from here, and they are running with it." CEM offers education, resources and networking opportunities for chamber professionals. Led by Brandon Chamber of Commerce general manager Carolynn Cancade, it held its fi rst AGM prior to the MCC AGM in Dauphin in early April. CEM members heard from social media experts and fellow chamber members on ways to strengthen their local chambers and help the provincial chamber work more effectively with local members. For her part, Cancade understands that local chambers must have a pool of resources to help them grow, and she sees the CEM as a positive addition to the Manitoba chamber network. "A number of local chambers work on an island and are operated by dedicated offi cials," Cancade says. "This group allows us to understand what challenges the chambers are dealing with and share our knowledge and experience to help give them the tools required to address those issues. Without a support network, many of these chambers will continue to be isolated and that will damage our ability to support our communities." If you are a chamber or board of trade executive director, manager, CEO or staff member, you may become a member of the CEM. Contact the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce for more information. www.mbchamber.mb.ca WHEN MEMBERS SPEAK, WE LISTEN. Chuck Davidson MBiz_spring2014.indd 3 MBiz_spring2014.indd 3 5/14/14 8:25:50 AM 5/14/14 8:25:50 AM

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