The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, in its goal to set out in an exciting new strategic direction, is seeking dynamic, high-achieving team-players to fill three key positions. All positions report to and work closely with the President and CEO.

Membership Manager
Working with the entire Chamber staff, the Membership Manager will play the lead role in meeting the needs of the organization’s current members and in developing and implementing a strategy to aggressively increase the membership of the organization.

Creative Coordinator
The Creative Coordinator will be responsible for executing the short-term, annual and long-term communications and marketing strategies to support the objectives of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce and the needs of its members.  As part of that overall goal, this position will also play the lead role in planning, promoting and executing regular events.
 
Policy Analyst
The policy analyst will work closely with the President & CEO, and the Chamber’s members, committees and taskforces to establish the organization as the thought leader in the community as it pertains to commerce. 

All positions at the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce are multidisciplinary and involve considerable creativity, flexibility, member service orientation, interaction and teamwork.  In a small organization like the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, all staff members are required to perform a variety of functions at varying levels with the flexibility necessary to facilitate and improve the growth of the membership and the programs that meet their needs.

All candidates with experience ranging from vast to little are encouraged to apply.  However, given that the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is a member-driven, non-profit organization, starting salaries for these positions are commensurate with those offered in the public sector at the entry level.

To apply, please send your resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or mail to 120 King Street West, Plaza Level, Hamilton, Ontario, L8P 4V2

Please click here for details about these positions.
 

38-Year-Old Attorney, Innovation Professional to Take Helm of 168-Year-Old Institution

Just over a month after the unexpected departure of David Adames, the Board of Directors of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that it has hired Keanin Loomis as its new President and CEO. He will be taking over from Interim President and CEO, Richard Koroscil, on June 3.

Loomis, 38, is a graduate of the University of Waterloo and The College of William & Mary School of Law in Williamsburg, VA. He practiced law at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP in Washington, DC before moving to Hamilton in September 2009.  He was instrumental in the founding of Innovation Factory, located at McMaster Innovation Park, and serves as its Chief Operating Officer.  He has been very active with the Chamber of Commerce, serving for the last three years on the Hamilton Economic Summit Advisory Committee and the last two years as the Chair of its Innovation and Technology Committee.

“Keanin brings to the table a range of experiences and a great knowledge of the Chamber’s operations and membership.  He has forged a broad network and is highly respected in the city.  We were most impressed with his deep understanding of everything that is going on in the community,” said Louise Dompierre, Chair of the Chamber Board of Directors and President and CEO of the Art Gallery of Hamilton.  “Additionally, because of his energy and vision, we also get an individual who will continue to provide dynamic leadership on behalf of Hamilton’s business community.”

“I am truly humbled by the Board’s confidence and am privileged to lead this distinguished institution at this very moment, when Hamilton’s future has never been brighter,” commented Loomis. “David is a good friend of mine and had the organization heading in an exciting direction.  I look forward to working with all the Chamber’s members and stakeholders to pick up where he left off and continue to lead this organization as a pillar in this great community.”

Richard Koroscil the Chambers Interim President said “I am delighted to be handing over the reins of the Chamber leadership to Keanin, he will bring a new energy and innovative thinking to the Chamber and to our community.  He has and will continue to be a strong community builder in this new role.

Loomis will be playing a role in next week’s Hamilton Economic Summit, moderating a panel of young professionals talking about innovation and the art of the possible.  The event is happening on May 9th at the Careport Centre at McMaster Innovation Park.  More information on the summit can be found at hamiltoneconomicsummit.ca.
 

The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce presents its position on Funding Tools for “The Big Move”

May 1, 2013 – Hamilton, ON - The Hamilton Chamber of Commerce has taken the position that the regional transportation infrastructure investments of The Big Move, which include and LRT in Hamilton, are key to the future growth and prosperity of our economy.

Recognizing that the province of Ontario is currently faced with a $300 billion debt and a $10 billion deficit, it is necessary to discover new ways to fund the infrastructure costs.  Of the $50 billion required for The Big Move plan, $16 billion has been funded by all three levels of government; the remaining $34 billion will require $2 billion dollars in new revenue on an annual basis.

To that end, the Hamilton Chamber has joined with other Chambers around the region, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce and boards of trade across the region in facilitating the conversation regarding funding. Over the past months we have facilitated consultation sessions between our community, our Chamber members and Metrolinx. Metrolinx will be submitting their recommendations for funding tools to the province later this month.

Four basic principles were identified as crucially important. These principles are; that the new funding is dedicated to new infrastructure projects; that the process is transparent; that the regions receive their fair share of the infrastructure; and that the direct beneficiaries are asked to contribute (User Pay Principle).

 As a result the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce is recommending to Metrolinx and the Government of Ontario the following funding tools for The Big Move:

High Potential
Sales Tax
Fuel Tax
Parking Space Levy

Medium Potential
Development Charges
Land Value Capture
Vehicle Kilometers Travelled (VKT) Fee
Highway Tolls

Details on the individual funding tools can be found on http://www.bigmove.ca/shortlist and the Chamber’s Big Move Funding Tools Policy Position.