April 21 | 2020

MARK YOUR CALENDAR - THIS WEEK

THE CITY AND ITS ECONOMIC FUTURE: A conversation with Mayor Basran

Wednesday April 22, 2020 Noon - 1:00 p.m. Mayor Colin Basran will speak to efforts taking place across the City of Kelowna to maintain economic viability – including recent Council directives to staff to temporarily change several financial practices. As the Co-chair of the recently announced Regional Economic Recovery Task Force, the Mayor will speak to the work ahead for that Task Force and respond to questions from participants. The Okanagan School of Business Speaker Series Online is FREE to attend but registration is required.

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FREE WEBINAR Managing & Engaging Staff Working Remotely Thursday, April 23 @ 9:30 a.m. The current pandemic has people working from home like never before. We need them to be safe and productive and we want them to be engaged and connected. This week's session will explore how to keep your people engaged in their work, their teams and the organization while they (and you) keep your distance. Cost: FREE No cost to attend for any business in the Kelowna area whether you are a Chamber member or not. Advance registration through the Chamber website is required. Guest Speaker Shawnee Love , Founder & Lead Consultant, Love HR REGISTER NOW

NEWS

CHAMBER BOARD ENGAGING MEMBERS Your Board of Directors has set an ambitious target of reaching out to all our members to do a quick pulse check to see how the business community is dealing with the many challenges related to COVID-19. Feedback that the team has been receiving so far indicates: There is a definite need to expedite targeted financial assistance to help small independent businesses immediately as many are facing significant hardships. If help does come soon they may be forced to close their doors for good so as to avoid what some are calling insurmountable debt. Deferral programs create some breathing room but without tax cuts and rebates deferrals are seen by many as just pilling up debt that will eventually have to be paid. While the federal government announced late last week that additional funding for those who are falling between the funding cracks will flow to government agencies to distribute, there is real concern that those funds will come too late to help. Information we gather will be shared with our local elected officials at each level of government. If you get a call from one of them great, but if you want to get the jump on letting us know what would be of immediate benefit just send us an email at hello@kelownachamber.org

LOCAL COMPANY AEM MAKING FACE SHIELDS Shout out to Kelowna Aerospace firm Anodyne Electronics Manufacturing Corp. (AEM) for stepping up to produce face shields for front line healthcare workers to protect from COVID-19. Using their advanced laser equipment, AEM has already produced 2,000 face shields and can pivot to produce up to 1,500 per day. "We knew we had the equipment and expertise to manufacture various components of personal protective equipment, so when presented with the opportunity to produce these urgently-needed shields, we got to work right away," AEM's chief executive officer Brian Wall said late last week in a release. This is another great example of an Okanagan business answering the call. Keep it up Kelowna! READ THE FULL STORY ( via Kelowna Courier ).

SPOTLIGHT: BDO TOP 40 UNDER 40 RECIPIENT: DUSTIN SERVISS

Dustin Serviss began his career in engineering but was drawn to the world of finance and investing. In 2014, he founded Serviss Wealth Management to help his clients meet their financial goals. He currently manages a team of close to 20 staff and has taught leadership and entrepreneurship to student in SD23 and UBC Okanagan. Dustin is well-known to us at the Chamber. Late last year, Serviss Wealth Management was named 2019 Micro Business of the Year. Congrats again Dustin! READ DUSTIN'S STORY .

THERE'S STILL TIME TO NOMINATE A DESERVING INDIVIDUAL TODAY! We're still accepting nominations to be recognized as one of the Central Okanagan's Top 40 Under 40, but time is running out. Get your nominations in. Information can be found on our   WEBSITE .

MEMBERSHIP ACTIVATION

Membership 101 Online Friday April 24 | 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. You've made an annual investment in Chamber membership, now learn how to maximize it. As a member of the Chamber, there are many opportunities for you to accelerate your business success. Whether you are a new member or a long time member that just wants a refresher, at this session you'll learn: How we ensure your voice and concerns are heard by every level of government through our advocacy program. Exclusive member benefits/discounts that can help reduce costs and help your bottom line. Sponsorship/Advertising opportunities to promote your organization to other business leaders.  How to manage your profile on our website directory. Join us for an this online session and meet some of the dedicated Chamber team that's here to help grow the people who power Kelowna! To attend just email our member services team jenna@kelownachamber.org 

THE POWER OF THE CROWD - Are you part of the CBRN?

CANADIAN CHAMBER LAUNCHES BUSINESS RESILIENCE NETWORK In partnership with the Government of Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce has launched the Canadian Business Resiliency Network. On the website you’ll find the latest information, tools and resources  #Cdnbiz  need to make it through the COVID-19 pandemic.  LEARN MORE

Need to add someone else in your organization to our mailing list? Drop us a line! Email: communications@kelownachamber.org .

KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | kelownachamber.org

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