NEWS RELEASE
ORILLIA DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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On Feb. 1, 2024, the Orillia District Chamber of Commerce (ODCC) will mark the official passing of the gavel from 2023 president Nathan Housser to 2024 president Scott Walker.
The passing of the gavel will take place during the ODCC’s annual dinner event, which is taking place at Hawk Ridge Golf Club and will (include) an address by Perrin Beatty, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
The event will also feature the ODCC’s annual Business Achievement Awards presentations, a cocktail networking reception, live music, and a red carpet photo booth. Tickets for the event are still available and funds raised through the event support local business advocacy in Orillia and Lake Country. All are welcome to attend and tickets can be purchased online at bit.ly/3SleGLF or through the chamber office. The annual dinner and awards is presented by Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) and supported by local business sponsors.
The incoming president is a local investment adviser and financial planner at O’Coin Walker & Associates, BMO Nesbitt Burns Inc., and has been an active member of the ODCC board of directors since 2020.
He remarked about taking on his new leadership role within the board:
“I’m honoured to be part of the chamber community and to be the president for 2024. I want to make sure that we continue to build on the momentum that has been created by our amazing chamber staff and past presidents. I feel very fortunate to have been able to learn from so many great local leaders during my time on the board of directors and the executive committee, and I look forward to a productive and engaging 2024.
“Over the past four years we have experienced rapidly changing economic conditions. This could be the new normal with the rapid increase in technological innovation, artificial intelligence, and a rapidly changing world. As a chamber we will need to continue to be adaptable to these changes and will continue to advocate for our local business community.
“The value that we at the chamber bring to the local business community is multi-pronged. We create networking opportunities and provide employee retention tools by giving members access to the chamber benefits plan; we provide opportunities to showcase your business at our amazing events throughout the year; and most importantly we are here to advocate for you on the local, provincial, and federal levels.
“If I were to set a goal for myself as president, it’s going to be around advocacy and engagement. For us to move the needle on some of these pressing issues we are dealing with in today’s slowing economic environment, we need full engagement from the board of directors, from our amazing community partners, and from our membership.
“We have an active board of directors that includes representatives of local municipalities, post-secondary institutions, Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital, the manufacturing and construction associations, the physician recruitment board, as well as business leaders from across Orillia and Lake Country. Our board focuses on advocacy and member events, and provides leadership in shaping the ODCC.
“We plan to engage our membership so we can continue to understand the opportunities and challenges we are facing here in the community. Part of engaging membership is collecting data and getting feedback so we can bring it forward to the appropriate channels.
“The chamber staff have been working tirelessly in conjunction with our advocacy committee to create a way for businesses to submit data in an easy and time-efficient manner so we can use it in our policy resolutions at the Canadian and Ontario chamber level. At the same time, we are working with our local government to provide feedback from our board and members.
“We understand as a board that housing, inflation, and the opioid crisis are the foremost on the minds of business, and we have been actively involved in helping shape solutions at all levels of government. To do this, it is important that we hear first-hand what is important to our local business community.
“I know that as business owners our members are busy, and may not always have time to reach out, so I will make it my personal goal as president to have a weekly coffee meeting with chamber members and community partners. This will allow for collection of data and insights to what is happening to their businesses and the community so we can further move the needle. The ODCC’s executive director, Allan Lafontaine, and his team are already doing this daily; however, the more feedback and engagement we can get, the better for the success of businesses and health of our local community.
“We will be continuing with our #ichooselocal campaign, which throughout the pandemic was successful in demonstrating to the community that roughly 68 cents of every dollar spent in the community stays in the community.”
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