The Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce on Mar. 31 reviewed their successful year.
Twenty-sixteen also brings in a new president for the organization with the completions of Andre Kruger’s presidential term.
New elected president, Kim Mitchell, says she is excited for the opportunity to take over as president and bring her media and sales knowledge to the position.
“With my background in media in both newspaper and radio, I believe that I bring a different perspective to the position and I’m excited to see where it goes for this year.”
Mitchell has been involved with the Chamber for the last year as both a board member on the executive and Campground committee chair.
This past year with the Chamber saw a lot in the ways of local growth with President Andre Kruger and Executive Director, Debra Nyczai, going to outside communities to give presentations about the Chamber.
Kruger said in his presentation at the annual general meeting that these ventures outside of Humboldt drew in two Rural Municipalities, two towns, two villages, and the Mid-Sask Municipal Alliance to come in as new chamber members.
These are very important growing opportunities outside of Humboldt, says Mitchell.
“It’s really a rapid growth area so we really are interested in having all the communities around this area involved in the Humboldt and District Chamber of Commerce.”
For this next year, the Chamber is looking forward to changing up their luncheons to include more business and economic development focused speakers that will be more teaching opportunities compared to the luncheons in 2015, said Kruger.
“The luncheons we had were basically you sit and someone talks to you and that’s basically what it was,” says Mitchell. “We’re going to try and do more of the get some educational information out there for some people whether it’s information on starting up a business, information on financing, that sort of thing.”
Compared to 2014, the Chamber did see growth in the way of revenue but also expenses. For 2015, the Chamber ran a deficit of $23,964 and Mitchell says that was with the hiring of two live in managers at the Campgrounds.
“(This) cost us 21 per cent more in wages over there,” says Mitchell, “and wages are going up.”
One way they are going to fix staffing for this year is to have Administrative Assistant, Colleen Foster, man the campground as campground manager starting May 15.
Along with the campground having an increase in sales, says Mitchell, the Tradeshow and Mark of Excellence Awards night went very well.
