Greetings Fellow DBOT Members,

There is much happening in and around Dufferin!

I would be remiss if I did not begin this missive without thanking our outgoing Chair Liz Skorski of Skorski Web Design. She has done a wonderful job of moving our organization forward during a very tumultuous time for business.  Many would have been happy to remain static in such a climate. I have appreciated the counsel and advice Liz has passed along while we transition.

I was also saddened to hear of the resignation of our Business Development Manager, Lisa Thompson. Lisa served our association well during her tenure in both developing and supporting members. She will be greatly missed but we wish Lisa well in her new endeavors.

This is an “interesting” time to be in business. Many of us spend our days trying to source scarce products in a reasonable amount of time while others only hope that their customers will comfortably come back in time for them to recover from the additional crushing debt that they’ve taken on during the pandemic. There is no easy answer to move forward and no magic bullet that will help all of us at the same time.

You can trust that your board will continue to lobby for both business as an entirety in our community and on a sector level where we’re needed. We plan on being a strong advocate for business in Dufferin County. We will be noisy, and we will be heard.

Local businesses have proven their resiliency and adaptability throughout the history of our area. One doesn’t need to look far to see the local business that have thrived as they’ve passed along through family generations.

We are seeing the early seeds of recovery as States of Emergency are removed at all levels of government. The removal of many Covid restrictions and hopefully soon all will allow us to move forward. The health and safety of our staff and customers will be paramount of course as we move forward.

I did not take lightly the decision to lead such a well respected, more than century old organization. I will do my best to continue to make sure that DBOT remains a strong voice for business in Dufferin County.

Doug Harkness BA, MBA

Chair-elect, Dufferin Board of Trade

doug@dufferinbot.ca

Details coming soon!

Business networking events held at various local businesses in Dufferin. This will be your chance to connect with other local businesspeople and connect with resources to help your business thrive.

We are looking for member businesses willing to host a DBOT Connects event. Events will usually be mornings, 8am-10am or early evenings, 4pm-6pm. The host business receives free promotion and the opportunity to give tours of their facility and speak at the event. The host may provide light refreshments. Attendance is free for DBOT members.

Email us if you'd be interested in hosting an upcoming DBOT Connects!

Did you know....

Jason McKittrick

905-750-0032 ext. 235

This survey is only 25 questions long and will take just a few minutes to complete, but it helps our organization and our local municipalities and partners learn what issues are keeping you up at night. Your responses help shape our work and help us focus our efforts to best support your business needs.

We are looking for someone passionate about our community and small business.

Apply by March 11, 2022.

Click HERE to view the job posting.

Our Board of Directors provides oversight and assesses performance in the areas of: strategic directions, management performance, quality of patient care, external relations, measurement of performance, financial and Board effectiveness overall. We have several committees which do this important work and consist of elected Board Directors and Community Members. We are a dynamic and dedicated group of volunteers from our local communities. Join us as we build the future of Headwaters!

Connect-ED Working Circles is a virtual training and employment incentive program. The goal of Connect-ED is to enhance the design, media, and employability skills of youth ages 15 to 30.The curriculum features a wide variety of career speakers who will impart insight and advice into their own pathway to employment within the areas of marketing, branding, design, communications, and social media; guests who will share experiences and expertise within the realms of volunteerism, employment resources, post-secondary pathways, and much more; and sector experts who will provide mentorship and other supports to youth attending the program. We just launched our 3^rd cohort of the year and are actively seeking contributors and placement hosts.

For more information, please contact cewc@careereducationcouncil.ca