Pincher Creek and District Chamber of Commerce has a new executive, following its annual general meeting March 15.

The new board voted in Rylan Brown, from Johnny Cache Hobbies, Pincher Pets and the Sutton Group, as president. Brown replaces outgoing president Stephen Valcourt, pastor at Abundant Springs Community Church.

The board selected Linsey Prout of Westland Insurance as vice-president and Kyla Shackel from Pincher Creek Co-op as treasurer, according to chamber manager Linda Davies.

The meeting, featuring keynote speaker and former Lethbridge mayor Chris Spearman, was well attended by chamber members and town and MD officials.

Spearman suggested that the chamber and town hall work towards a “concierge approach” to help attract business investment from outside the community.

“If investors don’t feel they’re the priority, they’re going to walk away — fast,” he said, calling for a dedicated service position to serve as “a first point of contact” with potential investors.

Fifty-six new businesses joined the chamber last year, making for a total of 156. The chamber’s #LoveLocalPC campaign meanwhile tallied $905,000 in local spending over the 2022 holiday season, Davies reported.

The chamber’s Women in Business initiative has been an unqualified success, with nearly 500 women from the area’s business community participating, according to Cassie Ducharme, head of the WIB committee.

Marie Everts, town hall’s economic development officer and chamber advisor, said she was excited for the Pincher Creek Trade Show, coming up at the Memorial Community Centre arena April 28 and 29. The show will feature local and regional businesses and is free to attend.

The chamber is also looking forward to this year’s Lemonade Day on Aug. 19, when young entrepreneurs will sell refreshing drinks at stands dotted throughout the community. Last year’s event earned participating kids hundreds of dollars, which they partly reinvested in the community.

The chamber’s new board of directors includes Alexandra Roussel (ATB Financial, Pincher Creek), Dallas VanTol (Excuses Tavern), ​​David Tetachuk (the Brick Pincher Creek), Embree Valcourt (Abundant Springs Community Church), Kristina Kugyte (CIBC, Pincher Creek) and Patrick Mitchell (Mitchell Bros. Beef & Flint Rock Ranch).

The chamber is looking to fill the one remaining space on the board.

For more information about local business opportunities, please visit the chamber’s website at pincherchamber.ca.

Laurie Tritschler, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Shootin' the Breeze