Barrhead local, and business owner Dave Sawatzky is proud to once again take the reins as President of the Barrhead Chamber of Commerce.
Sawatzky plans on taking action in 2015 by moving forward with some of the plans he and the Chamber developed the previous year.
“I think this year (2014) we got to set the foundation for the direction, because we did change direction as far as what we wanted to focus on and where we want to go,” Sawatzky said.
Sawatzky served as a vice-president for the Chamber two years prior to taking over as president in 2014, and said he looks forward to another year working closely with the public and businesses.
“It’s a two year kind of commitment, and I think you need at least a two year commitment, because a lot of times in your first year you are just getting your feet wet, you are changing some of the things you want to do to take it in your direction,” Sawatzky said. “Your second year is when you get to execute some of your plans. I think sometimes, to do it right, you need a two year term.”
Sawatzky said that the Chamber stepped back from their role as a service club, and moved in a different direction after realizing the Chamber was being viewed as a service club.
“That is not what the Chamber does,” Sawatzky said. “We are the advocates of the business community, so we wanted to pull back and change direction.”
“We still hold our galas, and we still give a lot of money back from those galas to the community, but we didn’t want to be the first go to on those kind of events,” he added.
Sawatzky said the Chamber would always play a large role in the community, however there are other service clubs in the area.
“Let them do what they are supposed to do in our community, and we will be the leader in being the (business) advocate,” Sawatzky said.
Members are stepping up this year to take on the role of executives, Sawatzky said, adding he looks forward to their fresh viewpoint.
“We have some new people on our executive, and it is always nice to have new ideas with new people,” he said, adding some of those who served as executives in previous years have taken over the position as directors.
“We still have that experience and their dedication, and their hard work is hugely appreciated,” he added. “I have fantastic people that I get to work with, and very dedicated volunteers that have no problem stepping up when asked.”
This year the Chamber will be focusing on numerous programs, one of them being Careers: The Next Generation.
“We want to continue to keep working with our Careers: The Next Generation, and keep developing that,” Sawatzky said, adding that they are hoping to help students find jobs and help employers find employees through that program.
“We don’t want to lose those students, the one’s that want to stay in Barrhead, we want them to stay here and make a life in Barrhead,” he said.
The Chamber is looking into adding another level to the program, which would provide an entrepreneurial opportunity for students.
“We have had a lot of requests to offer it as an entrepreneurial program, so that is going to be on the agenda for this year,” he said.
Sawatzky said the Chamber is also focusing on working with both councils to improve the economic development in the area, which can often take a backseat.
“We are keeping that front and center on both the town and the county’s agenda,” he said. “They are easy to get sidetracked on other projects like the pool, and many other things that are important to our community.”
The Chamber will also be focusing on their members concerns, whether it is road conditions, or needing assistance getting housing development plans approved for members in both the town and the county.
“We have a number of members from the county and we are looking to get more businesses in the county on board,” he said.
Marketing and informing members is another item on the top of Sawatzky’s list for this year.
“Letting our members know what we are doing, communicating with our members, being their advocate, speaking up for our members, and taking more of that direction,” Sawatzky said, adding informing members why it is important to be on the chamber is also significant.
Having a Chamber is vital for the business community, Sawatzky said, adding that even small issues such as shopping local can fall by the wayside without the Chambers help.
“There is no one to send that message telling people how important it is to keep our money in our community,” Sawatzky said.
