For decades the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce has given area businesses a unified voice.
Now new president Dianne Russell hopes the organization itself can join with other northern Manitoba chambers to create the same effect.
“I’m hoping to reach out and…find a way to unify the northern voice of chambers and see if we can have more influence in the province and in northern Manitoba,” says Russell.
Throughout recent memory, the chamber has had limited involvement with neighbouring chambers in The Pas and Thompson. The same goes for Snow Lake, which revived its chamber in 2013.
Greater northern collaboration is just one idea Russell brings to the table after being sworn in as president at the chamber’s annual general meeting this past Tuesday, Nov. 3 at the Friendship Centre restaurant.
And given that hers is a two-year term, she will have plenty of time to formulate other plans – with help, of course, from an experienced executive and membership.
“I would never want to take on a position and not actually try to accomplish something, so I intend to reach out to [members] and say, ‘What can we do?’ or ‘What needs to be done?’” Russell says.
As for the top concerns among area businesses, Russell admits those are difficult to identify and that she would not want to put words in business owners’ mouths.
“But from my experience, and I think I’d like to learn more about that…people worry about, is the town shrinking?” she says. “Is there something to do about that? How do we stay strong? How do we continue to serve? A lot of private business owners risk a lot to do what they’re doing, and small business is kind of a lifeblood of a community.”
However, Russell adds, “they’re pretty used to riding out low and high times and managing that, so I’m sure that they will continue to do so.”
Russell, the manager of 102.9 CFAR, succeeds outgoing president Tom Therien. In his final president’s report, Therien praised chamber members and their accomplishments.
“Although not everyone in the business community in our area are members of chamber, we still speak on behalf of all,” wrote Therien, who could not attend Tuesday’s meeting, in his report. “We cover a wide array of areas from tourism to beautifying our communities.”
On the fiscal front, the chamber enters 2015-16 having turned a small profit of $832 last year, with its unrestricted surplus standing at $15,320 as of Oct. 1.
While Russell is new to the presidency, she’s no stranger to the chamber, having been a member for about the past decade.
Her father, Doug O’Brien, has been part of the chamber for decades, including multiple terms as president.
Russell intends to learn from her father’s tenure, though she admits the Flin Flon area has changed greatly since he was president.
“I think it will be a different job than he had, but the commitment level for me is the same – and probably genetic,” she says with a gentle laugh.
New executive
The Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce finalized its 2015-16 executive at Tuesday’s annual general meeting, consisting of:
President: Dianne Russell
Past-president: Tom Therien
President-elect: Karen MacKinnon
First vice-president: Laurel Mackie
Second vice-president: Twyla Storey
Third vice-president: Mary Dwernichuk
Treasurer: Lois (Bunny) Burke
Secretary: Kory Eastman
Directors: Randy Daneliuk, Laurence Gillespie,
Dave Kendall, Colleen McKee, Cindy McLean,
Doug O’Brien, Rob Winton
