Business summit drawing big names

An all-star business panel, including legislative officials from government and opposition, has been gathered by the Prince George Chamber of Commerce for a midwinter prosperity summit.

The True North Business Development Forum is less than a week away and this assembly of experts has provincewide attention.

“It’s an unbelievable opportunity for business leaders, First Nations, government, community leaders to all come together and talk about how to amplify resilience and prosperity in the north,” said Val Litwin, president and CEO of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, who is coming to Prince George to take in the action.

A bunch of change has happened in less than 365 days, and we are all just now getting a sense of things.

“You can see from the lineup it will be a strong day. We have fantastic content and for many of those speakers, as far as I can see, this is their first contact with Prince George. They are coming with strategies and tools ready to use.”

The lineup is arranged into sessions.

The first is conducted by Mark Colgate, professor of Service Excellence and associate dean at the University of Victoria’s Gustavson School of Business. He will discuss how moments of power can translate into sales revenues and the way customers find value in your business – the psychology that drives service and sales.

The second is conducted by Jim Allworth, an economist with decades of experience as a research analyst and portfolio strategist. He has been a senior financial consultant for RBC Dominion Securities and Pemberton and is the co-chair of the Global Portfolio Advisory Committee for RBC Wealth Management.

The third session of the day is led by Marsha Walden, president and CEO of Destination British Columbia. She will will discuss the influence of the tourism industry, specifically what it means to Northern B.C.’s economic resiliency. As a leader in a sector that directly employs close to 130,000 people and adds more than $7 billion annually to the provincial GDP, she has some insights to boost this region’s “first dollar” economy, since much of the tourism industry’s revenues come from outside the local fiscal footprint.

The event will also have keynote input from Bruce Ralston, the Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology; Doug Donaldson, the Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development; and John Rustad, the longtime former Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation and now the critic for Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

There will also be an all-local panel discussion that brings some of the region’s most exciting business stories to the front of the class for both local and provincial ears to hear. Moderated by Northern Development Initiative Trust CEO Joel McKay, this panel will feature Three Ranges Brewery owner/ operator Michael Lewis, Filaprint proprietor Jody Mitchell, economic development manager Melissa Barcellos from the City of Prince George and Williams Lake Indian Band councillor and author Willie Sellars.

“I’ve seen Mark Colgate speak before, and it’s worth the price of admission to see him alone, so imagine when all these talented thinkers and leaders get together,” said Litwin.

He is also encouraged and excited to hear from the government officials who will be in the room. For many, it will be their first time interacting with ministers from the new NDP government. Litwin stressed that the province’s chambers of commerce, and the provincial tier as well, are nonpartisan organizations. They represent business and that’s what this discussion is about.

“A bunch of change has happened in less than 365 days, and we are all just now getting a sense of things,” he said. “What we found interesting is, within our members across the province, year-over-year, the confidence B.C. entrepreneurs have in themselves to grow and advance and prosper has remained almost unchanged. I’m not saying there is no such thing as change or challenge when you get a new government, but a lot of that is around uncertainty. This is all so new. But B.C. businesses expressed an interest in giving any new configuration of government after any election a chance to lay out their platforms and priorities. What I’m seeing from this government is a willingness to consult with business and set up their policy framework right. That’s encouraging. At this stage, it is the dialogue that’s important, leading to the budget in spring and leading to policy decisions they will have to make. The watermark of our organization is to give the opportunity for everyone interested in the economy and in business to have an open and respectful place to dialogue. The B.C. Chamber exists, and the Prince George Chamber of Commerce exists, to open up the important conversations. This forum is setting the table for some of the most important conversations we could possibly have right now. It’s the right time and the right place.”

The forum takes place on Tuesday at the Coast Inn of the North. To register, follow the links on the Prince George Chamber of Commerce website.

— Val Litwin