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18 SPRING 2018 POOLING REGIONAL RESOURCES Merger creates new Central Interlake Chamber of Commerce BY PAT REDIGER T wo Chambers of Commerce in the Interlake are thinking outside the geographical box. The Riverton and Arborg Chambers have joined forces to form the Central Interlake Chamber of Commerce. Owen Eyolfson, previously the president of the Arborg Chamber, will be the first president of the new Chamber, while former Riverton Chamber president Mark Myrowich will serve as vice-chair. "We have so many shared members and people that are located between the communities that it just seemed to make sense that we merge," Eyolfson says. When Myrowich was elected president of the Riverton Chamber, it was with a mandate to create a new joint operation. He met with Eyolfson and they saw eye-to-eye on several issues, both as Chamber executives and as members of the business community. Eyolfson is the owner of the Arborg Hotel and Myrowich is the CEO of Erosion Control Blanket. "I asked Owen how many people work for him and he said 22. I asked him how many of those people live in Arborg and he said three. There are 69 people working for me, but less than 15 live in Riverton," Myrowich says. "My community is not just Riverton. I thought that our new Chamber should adopt this philosophy." The Central Interlake Chamber is already looking to expand beyond Riverton and Arborg and join up with Chambers in Fisher Branch, Gimli and Ashern. They're also reaching out to Winnipeg Beach, which currently doesn't have a Chamber. Myrowich says it's important to grow in order to survive, and the larger, collaborative format will allow for new opportunities and more benefits. Communities need to think on a regional level rather than as separate entities. "In the time it takes me to drive from the north side of Winnipeg to south side of Winnipeg, I could drive from Riverton to Gimli. In the time it takes me to drive from the west side of Winnipeg to Transcona, I could drive to Poplarfield or Teulon. Winnipeg is one big city, so why aren't we looking at ourselves as one big geographical area? The province looks at areas as regions. Our region should be a voice to the provincial and federal governments about our business needs." The executives of the Central Interlake Chamber feel they will be able to provide enhanced benefits to members. With a wider range of businesses to draw from, they are planning more educational opportunities for members. Before the merger took place, the Arborg Chamber had established the Central Interlake Training Facility. "We were always trying to attract training sessions in different areas and joining forces will definitely give us more opportunities to attract bigger and better things," Eyolfson says. "When you have a smaller Chamber you really don't get to talk to a lot of your peers. You can talk to other businesses, but they won't have the same challenges in one industry as another does. We're looking at having a manufacturing forum where they can all get together and talk about their industry issues, or a transportation forum where they can talk about collective issues." Myrowich says there will also be increased cross- promotion opportunities. "We could have a burger week where all the restaurants make a specialty burger, or a fish week where fish processors from Riverton and Gimli sell their fish to the local restaurants to create special dishes," he says. "It attracts more people to all the communities. Instead of just coming to Gimli for tourism, they can drive through Arborg, go through Riverton and end up at Hecla to spend the night." The Central Interlake Chamber is in the process of incorporating and getting its finances in order. The founders are also deciding whether or not they will establish a physical office. "I run a large manufacturing company and I don't have an office," Myrowich says. "We need a mailing address, of course, but are people going to come and knock on our door to visit us? With technology nowadays we don't necessarily need to have a physical office somewhere." ■ CENTRAL INTERLAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE New Central Interlake Chamber of Commerce vice-chair Mark Myrowich (left) and Chamber president Owen Eyolfson.

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