Don't Miss This Great Event TODAY: The Way Forward, Exploring Financial Security |
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What if you could learn how to predict the next moves for your business with more success? Financial security plays a critical role in future business planning; ensuring you are informed from both a business operator and consumer perspective will help you to succeed in predicting these next moves and the role they play in the financial security and success of your business.
Today, we meet with Financial Security expert Rhona Stanislaus from ITI Financial to discuss the role demographics and consumer spending play in the markets, cycles and the power to predict.
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Space is Limited: November's Board Governance Training is Filling Up Quickly! |
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A must-have for Board Directors, CEOs and those interested in becoming Directors; this workshop offers you the essential strategies and best practices of Boards who have discovered how to govern effectively, efficiently, and in a manner that is results-oriented.
Join us Saturday November 21 from 9:00am - 2:00pm for this workshop where Deb McClelland will lead you through strategies and best practiced that will help you and your board function better than ever before.
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Membership 101: Maximizing Your Membership Investment (members only)
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Join us Friday November 27 from 9:00am to 10:00am for Membership 101. The event is open to any and all members of the Chamber as a refresher of your membership benefits, and members of your team are also welcome to attend.
Our monthly member meet and greet is online and a great way to learn more about your Chamber membership while connecting with other local businesses.
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Annual Member Policy Forum; Advocating for Issues That Matter Most to You |
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It’s time for the Kelowna Chamber’s annual Members Policy Forum – your opportunity to tell our Policy Advisory Committee what issues you believe need addressing with all three levels of government: taxation, red tape, economic recovery, transportation, intra-provincial trade barriers, and more.
Our Chamber is active in writing and advocating on behalf of our members: and you need to tell us what matters most to you. If you would like to be invited to our online Policy Forum – Thursday December 3 – please let us know. All sessions are moderated and are the first building block in sending policies to the BC Chamber and Canadian Chamber in 2021. If you are interested in participating, please email your contact details to Caroline Miller cmiller@kelownachamber.org
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Learn How to Adapt to Compete with the Resilience to Thrive Program |
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Join us and your fellow SMEs in the Building Resilience to Thrive business development program, powered by the BC Chamber and Peter B. Gustavson School of Business. The 6-week program is offered in two more cohorts through March 2021 and features weekly seminars and resiliency round tables to help businesses stay viable and adapt to compete in the future.
As a member of the Chamber you receive 50% off the program. Space is limited, sign up today. You can view the schedule HERE.
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UPDATES & EVENTS IN OUR NETWORK |
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Experience the Okanagan; Your Chambers Come Together To Promote Local |
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Your local Chambers throughout the Valley have been working hard to ensure you have up to date information and resources as it pertains to COVID-19 and business recovery. As we begin to rebuild, Chambers throughout the Okanagan are encouraging region-wide travel in a new campaign, 'Experience Okanagan'.
Local member businesses have come together to help promote our region, and encourage others to safely get out and explore all that we have to offer, right here at home. If you are a member of a Chamber of Commerce from Enderby to the South Okanagan, you can enter to win one of EIGHT Experience (Local) Okanagan packages to explore our backyard as a thank you for your continued support. For more information on the campaign, or to enter, click 'I Want to Experience Local!'
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We're HIRING: Member Relations & Business Development Manager |
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The Kelowna Chamber has begun the search for our next Member Relations & Business Development Manager. The successful applicant will play a leading role in accelerating growth in membership through retention and new member sales, securing event sponsorships, and selling advertising on the Chamber’s communication platforms.
This position will also oversee a small but dedicated team who are focused on growing our membership and the economy. Interested in learning more about the role? We'd love to hear from you!
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Central Okanagan Hospice Association Kicks off Homes for the Holidays |
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The Homes for the Holidays tour has traditionally been a self-guided tour of private homes all decked out for the Christmas season while raising funds for Central Okanagan Hospice Association.
This year due to COVID-19 the tour has moved to a virtual format and will feature 5 beautifully decorated homes with the home owners leading the camera through their spaces and 7 local experts sharing their holiday tips and tricks. The home tours are professionally pre-produced programs to be watched with your friends or family exclusively on Saturday, November 28 at 6:45pm.
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COVID-19 UPDATES & RESOURCES |
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Government Brings Forward Bill C-9; New Rent Program & Wage Subsidy Improvements |
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Last week, the federal government tabled Bill C-9, which includes the new and improved commercial rent program and updates to the wage subsidy program. These measures are designed to help businesses get through the second wave of the virus so they can protect jobs, continue to serve their communities, and be positioned for a strong recovery.
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Upcoming Webinar: How Canadian Companies Can Navigate ‘Business As Unusual’ |
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If you’re a Canadian business navigating the economic challenges introduced by COVID-19, don’t miss the Canadian Chamber's FREE webinar with Export Development Canada on Wednesday November 18, at 10am.
The webinar will provide insights from Export Development Canada’s President and CEO, Mairead Lavery, and the Canadian Chamber's President and CEO, the Honourable Perrin Beatty, PC, OC, to help companies like yours stay the course.
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NEW MEMBERS & MEMBER MILESTONES |
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Welcome to our New Members |
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NOAS Bookkeeping, Accounting & Tax Inc. |
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Congratulations to our Members on their Milestones this Month!
30 Years
20 Years
15 Years
10 Years
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MEET YOUR CHAMBER BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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Get to know the Kelowna Chamber's Board of Directors and Ambassadors in our new newsletter segment. This new bi-weekly update will introduce you to the people behind-the-scenes at the Chamber, and get to know more about them, why they got involved with the Chamber, and what they love about serving our business community. This week we want to introduce you to Ellen Boelcke, a wonderful member of our Board of Directors. |
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ELLEN BOELCKE| KCR Community Resources
What is your position / title and company, and what do you do there?
I am the Executive Director of KCR Community Resources, a multi-service agency working in broad areas including Employment, Immigrants, Family and Adoption and Community Services. Over the past 10 years, I have had the privilege of leading a team of dedicated people who are passionate about achieving KCR's vision of a community where individuals and families are supported in leading healthy, productive and fulfilling lives.
I feel fortunate to be able to work in a place where my own personal core values are so strongly aligned with the mandate of the organization and I know everyone on our team, from our volunteer Board of Directors, to employees, contractors and volunteers, is committed to KCR's values of respect, integrity, inclusiveness and empowerment.
How long have you been in the Okanagan? If you aren’t originally from the valley, what led you to call the Okanagan ‘home’?
I am originally an immigrant, born in Germany and moved to Canada halfway through my childhood. I moved to the Okanagan 25 years ago and while I love to travel and explore the world, I am always so grateful to come to what I call home - the Okanagan. This is absolutely where I choose to be, and do not see myself ever leaving.
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What do you enjoy most about your role with the Kelowna Chamber?
Being early in my tenure, I am listening and learning. I want to be a positive influence to the wellness and equity of all in Kelowna. The Chamber allows me to have a voice to grow Kelowna in a way that ensures everyone can prosper. I am proud to be a part of the dynamic and impact-driven world of non-profit organizations and feel a responsibility to represent this sector at the Chamber table.
What are you looking forward to / planning for the future?
As the past few months have shown, the future of our whole world can shift suddenly. I am proud that during this difficult time, we have been able to be strong and come together as a community. At KCR, my focus was to ensure we stay open so that we could continue to provide essential services to the community. I am proud that we were able to do this and to shift with the changes, to meet new and growing needs. My goal moving forward is to help all of the community stabilize and to work collaboratively with others to help define a new, equitable, sustainable and inclusive normal.
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UPCOMING EVENTS AT A GLANCE |
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UPCOMING CHAMBER EVENTS AT GLANCE
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Thursday December 3 - Annual Member Policy Forum - 9am-11am
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Need to add someone else in your organization to our mailing list? Drop us a line!
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KELOWNA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | kelownachamber.org |
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