by Bob Groeneveld/Special to the 91原创 Advance

President Jack Nicholson believes the Greater 91原创 Chamber of Commerce is more than a local voice for business.

鈥淲e want to be supporting business and being their voice not just in local community government,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut also at the provincial and federal level.鈥�

In Nicholson鈥檚 view, the chamber epitomizes the idea of strength in numbers. He made the comments ahead of Chamber of Commerce Week running today (Feb. 19) through Feb. 23.

鈥淚f some of our local businesses are trying to tackle鈥� tax changes, then if the chamber can bring all those voices together and assist with them, then that鈥檚 one of our purposes.鈥�

He said it鈥檚 鈥渏ust trying to bring the business community together as well. Doing advocacy on their behalf, but also being their voice in convincing people to shop local, and what that means to the business community 鈥� and your community, as well 鈥� by keeping all those dollars here.鈥�

Nicholson would like to see the two political 91原创s more effectively promoted as a single, cooperative business entity.

The benefits of chamber membership go beyond that advocacy role of liaising with governments and promoting the general benefits of local business, he said.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e coming out to our meetings or any of our dinners or gatherings, there鈥檚 also a significant advantage of networking or meeting people who you wouldn鈥檛 ordinarily see in other circles,鈥� said Nicholson, who in addition to his president鈥檚 role with the chamber is chief executive officer of the Otter Co-op.

鈥淣ot only are you finding new customers, possibly, but you might also be finding that supplier who you didn鈥檛 know existed for whatever product you were looking for, or a service. You could meet your next business partner at the chamber.鈥�

There鈥檚 also the chamber鈥檚 Coffee & Conversation featuring face-to-face time with local leaders of government.

鈥淪o, there鈥檚 good opportunity for our members to have access to our politicians that they might not have if they鈥檙e not part of the chamber,鈥� he boasted.

For Nicholson, education is an important part of what the chamber has to offer.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 why I originally joined the chamber, just to take advantage of some of the courses, and things that aren鈥檛 necessarily available if you鈥檙e one small business on your own,鈥� he said.

Nicholson is eager to spread word of those advantages to more people.

鈥淎 big piece of it,鈥� he said, is letting people know the value of being part of the chamber.

鈥淭here鈥檚 the membership benefits, insurance plans, gas plans, etc., that people are able to take advantage of if they鈥檙e part of the chamber.鈥�

But there鈥檚 more, he expounded.

鈥淚t鈥檚 everything together: the networking and the education opportunities 鈥� which are next to free for members. Especially if you鈥檙e a small business and you want to take a course on, say, governance or something. How would you go out and do that on your own? But if there鈥檚 10 small businesses that are registering together, I think that鈥檚 a great benefit of belonging to the chamber.鈥�

The chamber is currently teetering at about the 1,000 member mark.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to get over that 1,000 members,鈥� Nicholson said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e right around a thousand 鈥� we get 12 on and 12 off. Colleen and the team in the office, our hired team, have done a good job in starting to focus on retention.鈥�

To find out more about the chamber and its benefits, visit or call 604-371-3770.