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Chamber holds AGM and elections

Numbers in the Cochrane and District Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 financial statement are certainly looking up.
Back row, from left: Directors Betty-Anne Jansen, Krista Spensley, Tammy Williams, Cathy Hayes and Cheryl Hardy. Front, from left: Vice-president Martin Dienn, president Bill
Back row, from left: Directors Betty-Anne Jansen, Krista Spensley, Tammy Williams, Cathy Hayes and Cheryl Hardy. Front, from left: Vice-president Martin Dienn, president Bill Popplewell and treasurer Dave Kelly. Missing from the photo is director Graham Day. One seat remains vacant for a director, one-year term.

Numbers in the Cochrane and District Chamber of Commerce’s 2012 financial statement are certainly looking up.

The most recent year was a positive one for the chamber, allowing the organization to put $10,000 away in a savings account, to be used for projects they have wanted to do for some time.

“Our financial picture is really good,” said chamber president Bill Popplewell. “We took another step at becoming stronger and more active.”

Compared to 2011, the chamber’s 2012 financial position was helped greatly by what treasurer Dave Kelly, who prepared the ‘unaudited’ statement, said was an increase in cash flow.

To kick off 2012, the chamber had $10,946 in hand, whereas in the previous year, they were $1,255 in the hole. With the excess of revenue over expenses for the year being $25,048, the chamber was left with a year-end balance of $35,994, much higher than the $10,946 from 2011.

Kelly said the chamber was not planning to ‘squirrel away’ any more money, but would rather use their excess of funds to make the chamber better and give back to the community it serves.

Though Kelly said that memberships with the chamber were down, Popplewell explained that where they currently sit – approximately 235 total members – was a true number the chamber could go on.

“We’re not going down from that,” Popplewell said, adding that the number of memberships often fluctuates when the Trade Show approaches.

In 2012, the chamber received $40,389 from membership fees. In the 2013 budget, they expect that number to drop slightly to $37,350.

Elections were also held during the March 27 annual general meeting (AGM).

Popplewell will remain president of the chamber, as will Kelly hold the treasurer position. Other open seats included three, two-year-term director vacancies, which went to Tammy Williams, Cathy Hayes and Betty-Anne Jansen. Three, one-year-term director positions were also up for grabs, going to Cheryl Hardy and Graham Day, with one left vacant.

A major endeavour for the chamber this coming year will be to overhaul its website, which they have set aside $10,000 to do.

“In this modern world, it needs to take a giant step,” said Popplewell of the new website, expected to launch in June.

The website will be re-invented to enable members to pay bills, access the site as members and allow profiles to be updated.

The chamber is also sponsoring two 2013 Cochrane Community Awards – Employer and Business of the Year – which will be announced on May 26 during a ceremony at the RancheHouse.

Popplewell said the chamber is also planning a golf tournament to take place this summer.

Planning for this year’s Trade Show – taking place May 10-11 at the Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre – the chamber invited guest speaker, thinker, writer, speaker and marketer Shelley Goldbeck to provide some pointers on how a business could best maximize its time and success during a trade show.

The Trade Show will also feature a talent competition, and recently announced that the final show will feature singer/songwriter Colin James, who hails from Regina, Saskatchewan.

Visit cochranechamber.ca for more, and keep an eye open for the new website this June.

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