Last week's Commerce ConneX with Maple Pass & Let's Go Transportation - From left to right: Sam Samaddar, Kelowna Airport Director; Birgit Santana, Co-owner Let's Go Transportation & Maple Pass; Maxine DeHart, City Councillor; Fabio Santana, Co-owner Let's Go Transportation & Maple Pass; Dan Rogers, Kelowna Chamber Executive Director.
Dear Readers,

We had a fantastic time at our Commerce ConneX event at The Vibrant Vine last week, it was in  p artnership with Let's Go Transportation in promoting their new Maple Pass value card!  Maple Pass, aims to promote local businesses and attractions by offering di scounts
and  added value to products and  services. A lmost the entire  purchase cost of the
Maple  Pass goes to the Let's Go Together Program which directly benefits the community. 

Know anyone under 40 who has made a significant impact in our community? Recognize them through our Top 40 Under 40 program! Nominations are now open until the spring. Visit our website for more details.

Business Excellence Award nominees only have a few weeks left to complete their nomination packages, they are due by August 18th at 4pm. Submit yours to Allison before it's too late!

Warmest Regards,
The Kelowna Chamber Team
Upcoming Events
Wed, Aug 23 | 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm | Kelowna Golf & Country Club
Expo + Seminar Sessions 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm
**Cash tickets purchased at the door**
REGISTER TODAY FOR EXHIBITOR BOOTH SPACE!
BC Wildfires: Resources for Business
The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce would like to recognize the tremendous efforts of emergency response workers, community leaders and organizations on or near the front lines of the B.C. wildfires. 

The BC Chamber would like to share a useful guide developed by Adam Legge and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce following the recovery effort after the 2013 flooding disaster. Many of the learnings detailed in the report, "Calgary's Flood Recovery Story - The Business Perspective" are applicable to the situation engulfing B.C.'s interior today. Click here to access the report.

The British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA) has developed a list of the Top 10 Most Important Steps to prepare businesses for evacuation. The BCEDA has also set up an Economic Disaster Recovery Page where you will find a manual on community and business preparation  along with, an active Business Recovery Hotline for impacted businesses. Managers or owners will be able to answer questions that will help distinguish short and long-term needs as the province evaluates an economic disaster recovery strategy. The number for the hotline is 1-877-422-3377. 

Attention Tourism Related Businesses:

The Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association is surveying the impact that the wildfires are having on tourism businesses throughout the region. Whether you have been directly affected by the wildfires, have suffered cancellations despite being out of wildfire zones, or have seen minimal or no impact, we encourage you to take the time to complete their survey. All information collected is being forwarded to the appropriate provincial channels and allows them to best represent you and bring your voice to the table. 
Members in the News
  • Kalala Organic Estate Winery was featured in a great article in the Globe and Mail this month.
  • Glow Juicery Kelowna just opened their 2nd location in the Okanagan Centre for Innovation.
  • Okanagan Strata Management has changed their name to Pacific Quorum (Okanagan) Properties Inc.
  • Congrats, Abhinav Kanti, the new owner of Total Interiors!
  • Avalon Rentals is celebrating 25 years of business in the Okanagan. Also, a big congrats being the 'Best of Kelowna' 2017 Gold Winners!
  • Baths by Design is celebrating their 25th anniversary in business.
  • Congrats to A Vista Villa Couples Retreat on receiving a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence.
  • LifeWorks Family Chiropractic is celebrating their 10th Anniversary 
BC Chamber Policies & Positions Manual Now Available
The BC Chamber policy process is second-to-none in ensuring that the Chamber generates innovative policy solutions. Our network's grassroots, bottom-up process fuels evidence-based analysis, and provides on-the-ground insight into the needs of our communities, the values of stakeholders and community members, the very  people who power BC.  In short, it is only through direct input from you - our members - that the Chamber policy process continues to offer real solutions to real challenges facing businesses from every nook and cranny of the province.

You can now access the BC Chamber Policy and Positions Manual online. Read all about  what's on BC's mind  and share with your local MPs, MLAs, Mayors and Councils, or other key stakeholders by sending this link:  http://bit.ly/2tJPuDj .
  
The BC Chamber Policy and Positions Manual is the foundation of our advocacy to all levels of government. This document builds on the role that the Kelowna Chamber and other BC member Chambers and Boards of Trade play in developing BC's policy platform by providing focus in advancing the network's recommendations to government. Whether it's a part of our province-wide advocacy efforts or your one-on-one discussions with local elected officials, the BC Chamber will roll-up their sleeves to ensure that recommendations to the government are advanced in the coming months to help power an even stronger economy for businesses and residents alike. 
Are You Prepared for Change?
Typically, causes of change can be split into two categories: internal and external.

No organization is an island - external forces continuously influence and interact with its existence. Individuals and organizations may have very little ability to influence external factors such as politics, culture, economy, societal changes, or technology. It is important to understand that if the change is the result of an external factor, we must accept the change, and then modify any internal processes or items that are affected by the external influence.

Internal factors are numerous, as almost anything can influence change within an organization. Some of the more obvious ones are employees, policies, organization structure, managerial, and financial. Internal causes of change are the ones we have the most control over. This allows us to prepare for change using education, communication, training, and support. These tools will help mitigate any negative outcomes that may occur as a result of the change...

The Chartered Professionals in Human Resources of BC & Yukon (formerly the Human Resources Management Association) is pleased to provide monthly HR advice and information to the members of the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce. 

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