Being a board director of the Chamber of Commerce is a position of significant responsibility and leadership within the local business community. As a board director, you are entrusted with the task of guiding the strategic direction of the Chamber, advocating for the interests of its members, and fostering economic growth and prosperity in the region. This role involves active participation in decision-making processes, collaboration with fellow directors, engagement with stakeholders, and representing the Chamber in various public forums. It also requires a commitment to upholding the values and mission of the Chamber, promoting transparency, accountability, and integrity in all endeavors. Ultimately, serving as a board director offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the business landscape and contribute to the overall well-being of the community.
2024- 2025
Executives
President – Steve Latimer – Beattie Dodge Chrysler Ltd
Experienced Business Professional
Steve is a Brockville native that has spent his working career in business. He graduated from Thousand Islands Secondary and went on to St Lawrence College here in Brockville to earn diplomas in both Finance and Marketing. Started working at Beattie Dodge when he was a teenager washing cars and fell in love with the car business. He worked for 1000 Islands Toyota for 20 years as Comptroller and in the fall of 2016 returned home to Beattie Dodge as CFO and a minority partner. Steve sat on the board and was Treasurer for the United Way for 5 years.
Started on the board: March 2018
Vice President – Teanne Larocque – Calian
Experienced Recruiter
Experienced recruiter with over 15 years of success at creating search strategies and executing talent acquisition plans. Passionate about providing meaningful insights and uncovering ideal candidates.
Teanne was raised in Brockville and is passionate about the community and its success. She joined the Brockville District Chamber of Commerce Board to better help assist businesses in our area with resources, collaboration, and partnerships.
Started on the board: March 2021
Past President – Orlando Spicer – Modern Brock Group
Real Estate Broker
Orlando is a Real Estate Broker, co-owner of Modern Brock Group Realty Brokerage and a real estate investor. He has been selling real estate between Kingston and Ottawa since 2012, focusing mainly on Leeds and Grenville. His business has been built on an exceptional level of customer service. His business model emphasizes the quality of his services as he works by referral. Orlando was awarded the 2014 Brockville Young Professional of the Year Award by the Chamber of Commerce for his business acumen and community service. Orlando is passionate about the community and has been involved on many levels. He helped lead the growth of the Brockville Young Professionals Network and has been a Director at the Chamber of Commerce since 2014. He is a past board member of both the United Way of Leeds and Grenville and the Brockville Winter Classic Committee. Orlando is passionate about the economic future of Brockville and looks forward to continuing his work on the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Started on the board: March 2014
Secretary/Treasurer – Christina Covey-Shannon – Royal Bank of Canada
Financial Planner
Christina Covey-Shannon has lived in the Brockville and surrounding area for most of her life. She is very passionate about the community. She completed Business Administration – Accounting at St Lawrence College, here in Brockville and has worked for RBC for 33 years in a variety of different roles. Currently as a Financial Planner – Investment Retirement Planner, she assists clients in creating a financial plan that is customized to their own situation, looking at accumulating their savings and then how best to use those funds in retirement. She also helps clients make pension, severance, retirement income and other related decisions while considering tax efficiency throughout the process. She has been on the Chamber board for 4 years. Christina enjoys being part of all the great initiatives and help the Chamber offers to the many businesses in the area. She, along with her family, enjoys giving back by volunteering their time in many different areas, whether it is with Girls Inc monthly with her daughter, Brockville Hydroplane Race weekends, participating in parades with work, or being on the many different committees within her children’s primary school, Relay for Life, Brockville Women in Business, and Brockville Minor Hockey.
Started on the board: Sept 2020
Director: Michael Richards (St. Lawrence College)
Student Leadership & Co-Curricular Learning Officer
Michael brings over a decade of experience in post-secondary education, having served in various roles across Student Services, Employment Service, Career Services, and Student Engagement. With a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA), he has a strong grasp of workforce needs and student development. In his previous role with Career Services, Michael built strong relationships with local employers by hosting large-scale career fairs and employer-focused workshops. Now, he leads the implementation of college-wide co-curricular and student leadership programming.
His extensive collaboration with internal and external stakeholders has given him a clear understanding of the skills and qualities employers seek alongside academic credentials. Michael is passionate about translating these insights into accessible pathways that help students enhance their career readiness and meet the evolving demands of the job market.
A proactive and resourceful collaborator, Michael serves as an important connection point between the Chamber of Commerce and the College. Born and raised in Brockville, Michael has a strong sense of pride for the region and, as the son of entrepreneurs, he understands the vital role played by the Chamber. A father of two young boys, Michael, and his wife, Loni, recently moved back to the area to raise their family.
Started: March 2024
Director – Robyn Holmes – John Howard Society Kingston & District
Experienced Social Services Leader
Born and raised in Leeds & Grenville, I have a strong appreciation for the strength of rural Eastern Ontario. My desire to serve this community began at an early age and ultimately led me to pursue a life dedicated to social services.
Started: March 2024
Director – Keeley Patterson – O’Farrell Financial Services
Experienced Financial Planner
Keeley has been working in the financial industry for over 35 years. She is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and worked in the Personal and Commercial Banking sector for over 20 of those years. She has helped countless individuals and business owners make important financial decisions through the years, so it was a perfect match when she joined O’Farrell Wealth & Estate Planning in the spring of 2009 as a partner.
Thanks to Keeley’s time in the industry, she has worked with numerous financial statements and partnered with lawyers and accountants to help her clients make solid decisions. Her experience provides her with a unique perspective when she is providing financial and estate planning services to business owners as she is deeply familiar with both the challenges that arise and how to handle them skillfully. As a financial planner, it’s fundamental to know what is truly important to her clients. She then designs ways to help them attain the lifestyle they want, the protection they need, and achieve the clarity to make great decisions for their businesses, for the next generation, and beyond.
Keeley has been involved with Chambers for over 25 years – it is a great way to meet people, other businesses in our community we want to do business with, and give back to an organization that is easy to work with. She is very passionate about living, working, and dealing with local businesses – the Chamber is the best place to do that. The Chamber Board is the voice of business; if your business wants to be part of the local business network, advocacy, and economy – you need to get involved with your local Chamber.
Started on the board: March 2015
Director – Kent Henderson – Royal Bank of Canada
Experienced Financial Specialist
Kent has worked for RBC since 1998 and has held the position of Mobile Residential Specialist since 2012. He started as an Assistant Manager in Personal Banking in Thunder Bay, ON, then moved to Stoney Creek, ON. After three years as Branch Manager in Niagara on the Lake, ON, he moved back to Brockville in 2004 as a Financial Planner, and took on his current role in 2012.
Since returning to Brockville, Kent has been actively involved in the community, including being on the fundraising committee for United Way, serving on the DBIA board and chairing it for about three years, co-chairing a waterfront task force committee in collaboration with the Brockville Chamber, and being on the Chamber Tourism Advisory Committee for approximately 10 years. He also chaired the 1000 Islands Regatta since its reincarnation in 2008.
Kent grew up on the St. Lawrence River, is an avid boater, and races hydroplanes. He has a wife and two young kids, and they enjoy traveling together. Kent joined the Chamber out of curiosity about its workings and has remained on the board because he feels it makes a significant difference to businesses in Brockville and the surrounding area.
Started on the board: March 2018
Director – Kelly Brintnell – Brockville Tourism
Tourism Development Specialist
In the newly created Tourism Development role, Kelly Brintnell strives to create and evolve innovative tourism products, experiences, and services for the market, bringing with her a wealth of knowledge in the tourism and hospitality field, particularly within Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs).
With over 15 years of experience in sales, customer service, and the tourism industry, Kelly’s career has focused on corporate, government, conference, and trade sectors, showcasing a proven track record in project management and business development.
Most recently, Kelly worked with Explore Waterloo Region, managing business events and sports while developing the travel trade market. Before that, she worked at Queen’s University and with Tourism Kingston, where she successfully managed all aspects of Meetings & Conferences and Travel Trade portfolios, including budgeting and tactical planning.
Known for her specialization in people management, communication, stakeholder relations, and partnership development, Kelly has consistently delivered effective outcomes. She is dedicated to fostering a positive and professional culture, facilitating meaningful discussions, and exploring strategies to enhance the City’s tourism reach.
In her new role with the City of Brockville, Kelly will leverage her expertise to implement growth initiatives, drive the objectives outlined in the Tourism Master Plan, and lead event attraction campaigns. Her strategic mindset aligns seamlessly with the Plan’s vision.
Kelly is passionate about volunteering with local organizations that benefit the community and is committed to the region’s success as a destination.
Started: March 2024
Director – Zeke Cox – TD Commercial
Senior Commercial Lender
Zeke is a University of Toronto alumnus with a diverse career background, including commercial real estate management in the western United States and enterprise software sales across Canada. He and his wife, Jaime, owned and operated a full-service marina in Gananoque for 13 years. After selling their business, Zeke joined the Business Development Bank of Canada as a Senior Commercial Lender in southeastern Ontario in 2015.
Passionate about supporting the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, Zeke has provided financial support ranging from “tens of thousands” to “tens of millions” across various industries in the Brockville area. He has also volunteered for local initiatives such as the Otter’s Den.
In his personal time, you might find Zeke boating on the St. Lawrence River with family and friends, golfing, or exploring the mysteries of the twelve-bar blues.
Zeke joined the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce Board to focus on supporting the business community, particularly small businesses.
Started on the board: March 2021
Director – Andrew Melchers – IN Engineering & Surveying
President
Andrew is the president of IN Engineering + Surveying, which provides integrated surveying, land-use planning, and engineering consulting services to Brockville and Eastern Ontario. Born and raised in Lyn, Andrew moved away to study his Bachelor and Master of Civil Engineering at Carleton University. He started his engineering consulting business in 2018 and merged with Collett Surveying Ltd. in 2020.
Andrew loves the lifestyle the area affords and is raising his two young daughters with his wife Amber in the community.
He joined the Brockville Chamber of Commerce to give back to the community that has given so much to him. Andrew’s vision for the organization includes leading its digital transformation to ensure it remains a vital part of the business community for the next 100 years.
Started on the board: March 2021
Director – Rich Muir – 3M Canada
Plant Director
Rich is currently the Plant Director of the 3M Brockville manufacturing facilities. With over 30 years of manufacturing experience, including 27 years with 3M Canada, Rich started with the company in Perth, Ontario, as a manufacturing engineer in the mid-90s. After graduating from Queen’s University and working for 2 years in solvent purification in Toronto, he moved through various positions at 3M Canada, including production supervisor, Six Sigma Black Belt, and planning manager in Perth, London, and Brockville.
In 2009, Rich became the Plant Manager of the Perth Tape facility and has held Plant Manager positions in Brockville Tape and London before returning to Brockville in 2021 in his current role.
Rich has been a member of the Leeds and Grenville Big Brothers/Big Sisters board and joined the Brockville District Chamber of Commerce Board to contribute to the local business community.
Started on the board: April 2024
Director (YPN) – Melissa Hindman – Young Professionals Network
Young Professionals Network
Melissa enthusiastically supports local businesses through events and initiatives aimed at enhancing our community. With a passion for civic engagement and communication, she joins the Chamber Board of Directors with great enthusiasm.
Melissa established herself locally as a Young Professional when she returned from college in 2011, commuting to complete her BA in Psychology at Carleton University while working full-time and running a small business. Since 2016, she has been involved with the Brockville & District Chamber events and became the Media Director for the Brockville Young Professionals Network in 2020, successfully expanding their network.
Most recently, Melissa has started a family, which has enhanced her perspective and drive to support opportunities that strengthen the economic environment for community members and businesses.
Started on the board: March 2022
Director (YPN) – Taylor Dunster – W.C. Burgess
Broker, W.C. Burgess Insurance Services Ltd.
Taylor Dunster is currently a Broker with W.C. Burgess Insurance Services Ltd. located in Brockville. She has been immersed in the insurance world for her whole life, and is a third generation Broker, who considers herself a jack of all trades in the insurance space. Her experience is rooted in working within Personal, Auto, and Commercial Lines, but her specialty is Farm Insurance. Prior to getting into insurance, Taylor graduated from Fleming College with an advanced Diploma and is a Child and Youth Care Practitioner (CYCP). She has had the opportunity to work full time as a CYCP supporting a male teenage group home involved with Children’s Aid Society (CAS). After 3 years in this career, she pivoted to insurance and has been working in this capacity over the last 4 years. She loves the industry because it allows her to make meaningful connections with her clients, and it offers endless opportunity for education and growth which provides for a lot of variety to her day to day. Outside of work, she is very passionate about continuing education and is constantly looking for new ways to support her community. To support her continuing education, she is currently completing her CAIB (Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker) accreditation. Fun fact: Taylor’s husband is a Dairy Herdsman on a large dairy operation, and in her spare time on the weekends you can find her milking cows or tending to their hobby farm at their home.
“I wanted to be a board member to make better connections and lasting relationships within the Brockville Business Community. To help provide a voice for our local businesses.”
Started on the board: March 2023
New Policy – Feb 2021
Diversity & Inclusion Policy
This policy is intended to provide a framework for inclusion to promote diversity and inclusion at the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce. The Board of Directors of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce believes in the benefits diversity brings and it recognizes that diversity of thought contributes to the formation of a strong organization. This has been demonstrated across the business community of which the BDCC serves. The board recognizes that the most innovative and successful businesses, communities and economies are the most diverse. Having a board, management and staff that are composed of people with diverse skills, experience, backgrounds and perspectives can contribute to:
- a robust understanding of opportunities, issues and risks
- inclusion of different concepts, ideas and relationships
- enhanced decision-making and dialogue
- heightened capacity for oversight of the organization and its governance
- sustainability of the organization
For purposes of this policy, diversity includes, but is not limited to:
- skills and experience
- sex and/or gender identity
- race
- culture/ethnicity
- sexual orientation
- income
- disability
- age
- language
The board and management team will make good use of these differences and distinctions among individuals to determine the optimum composition of the board, management and staff. All board, management, and staff appointments must collectively reflect the diverse nature of the environment in which the organization operates and be made on merit, in the context of the skills, experience, independence and knowledge which the organization requires to be effective. The board is committed to ensure and maintain diversity and to diligently act to effect change. This policy applies to the board, management and staff of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce.
Principles
Diversity of thought is enhanced through intentional effort. The Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce will be intentional in ensuring diversity and inclusion. Credibility is enhanced through board and leadership diversity. There is a significant relationship between board and leadership diversity. Therefore, the BDCC will pursue a well-rounded, diverse, and credible approach to ensuring board and leadership diversity.
The board values a diversity of voices and sees the value that they can contribute to creative and innovative thinking within the organization. To ensure the diversity strategy of the organization is viewed as a legitimate process, all appointments will be made on merit. However, the board acknowledges that there are many different skills and knowledges that will enhance the organization, its decision-making, and successful delivery of its mandate and so understands that merit is relative to the needs of the organization. Being transparent and public about the BDCC diversity and inclusion strategy is a helpful step in holding the board and management accountable, setting an example for both members and stakeholders, and providing thought leadership in the sector. Accessibility is enhanced through a powerful, collective voice. The board will balance the intent of this policy with the need to be a powerful voice for diversity in all of its forms.
Process
To achieve its diversity aspirations, the board will:
- ensure the board’s composition considers the balance of skills, experience, knowledge, perspectives, independence and characteristics in alignment with the strategic needs of the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce and the environment in which it operates
- identify suitable candidates for appointment to the board, considering candidates on merit against objective criteria, and with due regard for the benefits of diversity on the team
- continue to maintain an ongoing list of potential candidates for board positions
- work with management to ensure that all aspects of the organization, including its talent recruitment and business practices reflect the diversity and inclusion objectives of the board
- monitor and report annually to the membership, both at the Annual General Meeting of the organization and on the BDCC website its progress with respect to this policy
- work with management to encourage Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce members to adopt similar diversity and inclusion policies, practices and goals, and ensure that the organization continues to educate its membership about the merits of building and maintaining a diverse workplace and inclusive business practices.
Review
Annually by the Brockville and District Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
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