CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVES OF ALBERTA
About CCEA:
Helping Chamber Managers build a better Alberta!
CCEA is a Chapter of CCEC. All members of CCEC based in Alberta will automatically receive a complimentary membership with CCEA.
Questions? Contact Alberta@CCEC.biz
Our Mission:
To promote ethical standards and efficiency in Boards of Trade and Chambers of Commerce management; to encourage the mutual exchange of information and ideas among its members; and to undertake such services and activities as shall be deemed to be in the best interests of its members.
Chapter Committee:
Co-Chair: Shelly Nichol, Executive Director, St. Albert and District Chamber of Commerce
Co-Chair: Marilyne Aalhus, Executive Director, Airdrie Regional Chamber of Commerce
Member: Tanya Oliver, Executive Director, Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce
Member: Scott Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce
Member: Dawn LeMaistre, Executive Director, Okotoks & District Chamber of Commerce
Member: Sacha Knorr, Manager of Chamber Services, Alberta Chambers of Commerce
Member: Norman Leach, Executive Director, Greater Parkland Regional Chamber of Commerce
Professional Development Summit:
We're going to Rocky Mountain House July 10-12, 2024!
The conference begins with lunch at 12:00pm on Wednesday, July 10, and will end at 12:00pm on Friday, July 12. Attendees will be provided with a 'to-go' lunch.
Registration is $250 + tax/person.
For more information about Summit '24, visit the event page here.
Legacy Bursary Program:
The purpose of the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Alberta Legacy Bursary Program is to provide financial assistance for up to 4 CCEA members to attend the CCEC national professional development conference.
Learn more about the CCEC national professional development conference here.
The four bursaries are a legacy to honor Chamber executives we have lost:
- Irven Snider (Ponoka and Alberta)
- Pat Tenney (Lloydminster)
- Peggy Lapinski (Alberta)
- Cindy Taschuk (Rocky Mountain House)
General Eligibility:
Applicants must be a current Chamber staff person in their position for at least 12 months.
Applicants must be members of CCEC and CCEA. Membership is available free of charge.
Applicants must be willing to attend the CCEA Summit the following year and provide a brief presentation about key learnings.
Application:
Download detailed information about the CCEA Legacy Bursary program here.
Applications are due July 25, 2024.
Access the 2024 application here.
Get To Know Our 2024 Alberta Chamber Executive of the Year:
Sarah Freeman, Executive Director, Bow Valley Chamber of Commerce
I have been with the Bow Valley Chamber of Commerce going into my 3-rd year this June 2024. Along this journey of being the Executive Director and growing a new Chamber with 9 amazing board members we have seen tremendous growth in our membership, more collaboration in our community, and building strong lasting connections with members and partners.
We now have 2 networking events running between Canmore & Banff alternating months between both communities (Bevvies & Business, and Coffee Connector) this has been a success with slowly building trusted relationships across the Bow Valley. We now have 3 successful signature events that run every year (Bow Valley Business Excellence Awards, Ungolfed, and Bow Valley Women in Business). The Bow Valley Women in Business is something that sits close to my heart, and I was able to bring to life this past March 7 in celebration of Internation Women’s Day and this will happen each year around the same time, along with 1 other BVC Women in Business thanks to partners, generous donation, and the support of our community believing in a vision.
We continue to collaborate with other organization one step at a time, and thanks to the recent grant through ACC & Alberta Government we are collaborating with the Job Resource Centre on upcoming Job Fairs to enhance them, we are already seeing the results of community collaboration, and opening more opportunity for smaller businesses to take part in the Job Fairs. We collaborate monthly with our local radio station 106.5 Mountain FM with monthly Member spotlights, interviews about our events or programming, and I have been doing the recording of ads for events and collaborative events with partners.
We have now run 2 Peer Masterminds and just completed Cohort 2 and looking at Cohort 3 in the fall 2024.
Outside of the BVCC I am on a committee with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce called “Inclusive Growth Committee”. I attended my first meeting the other week with 15 other committee members across Canada. I am grateful to have my voice in this space for our members and beyond.
Finally, we have seen a 20% growth at BVCC year after year, and we would like to see that keep moving in this direction through building relationships, listening, and supporting our business community and being a voice for our members. (Photo credit to Alexis McKeown).
