From April 28 – May 1, 2016, over 150 members of the Ontario Chamber Network gathered in Oakville, Ontario for the 104th Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) Annual General Meeting (AGM) to reflect on the past year and to shape the OCC’s advocacy agenda for the 2016 -2017 year. As part of the AGM, each year, chambers of commerce and boards of trade from across Ontario are publically recognized and awarded for demonstrating excellence in advancing business success in their communities. The 2016 AGM award winners are:

Burnie Gillespie Memorial Award
The Burnie Gillespie Memorial Award recognizes a chamber professional who demonstrates excellence in chamber management and outstanding commitment to the community through volunteer service. This year’s winner is Charlene Nicholson, Chief Executive Officer of the Brantford Brant Chamber of Commerce.

James Carnegie Memorial Award
The James Gordon Carnegie Memorial Award is awarded to a Chamber Executives of Ontario member who is recognized for excellence as a leader and mentor by their peers. This year’s winner is Keith Hoey, President of the Burlington Chamber of Commerce.

Excellence in Advocacy Award
Chambers of commerce and boards of trade are the voice of business in their community and work diligently to ensure the issues of business are acknowledged and addressed. The Excellence in Advocacy Award is awarded to a chamber/board that has demonstrated forward thinking policy within their community. The winner of this year’s Excellence in Advocacy Award is the Windsor- Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce.

OCC Chair’s Award
Chambers of commerce and boards of trade excel through innovation in their business practices. The OCC Chair’s Award is awarded to a chamber/board that has demonstrated success in the following areas: operations, member services, and/or community leadership. The winners of this year’s OCC Chair’s Award goes to the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and Hamilton Chamber of Commerce.

Congratulations to all of this year’s deserving award winners, and the many other nominees who have also made outstanding contributions to the Ontario Chamber Network over the past year. Next year, the OCC’s 105th AGM will be hosted by Sarnia-Lambton Chamber of Commerce in Sarnia, Ontario.