PROBUS welcomes Saugeen Shores Chamber Executive Director

Probus President Brian French welcomed speaker Christine Mitchell

Each month, Saugeen Shores Men’s PROBUS Club meets to enjoy a social time and the opportunity to hear a guest speaker.

On Tuesday, May 2nd, they welcomed guest speaker, Christine Mitchell, Executive Director of the Saugeen Shores Chamber of Commerce.

Mitchell has a degree in Political Science from Wilfred Laurier University and worked for several years as an automotive technician and service advisor with General Motors.  As the owner and President of her own company, The Car Lady Canada, she understands the importance of networking, brand management and entrepreneurship and works across Canada with various car dealerships helping them to foster customer retention.

As the Chamber’s Executive Director, Mitchell has the opportunity to create connections, education opportunities and community engagement in Saugeen Shores.  Having married into a local family, the Mitchells of Port Elgin, she has lived in Saugeen Shores for eight years.  “I soon realized that Port Elgin and Southampton are distinct communities but I wanted to make the Chamber a bridge between the two.”

Under Mitchell’s direction, the chamber has grown to today’s 461 members. “The Chamber is a not-for-profit organization that is driven by a Board of volunteers and membership.  Although we work closely with BIAs (Business Improvement Associations), they are actually a sub-section of Town Council where their revenues come from businesses in the downtown cores through their taxes. Many of our chamber members are smaller businesses and entrepreneurs that are off the main streets.”

According to Mitchell, the Chamber is primarily made up of small businesses, but also has different types of membership.  “There are two main kinds of members,” said Mitchell, “entrepreneurs and ‘cachet’ members such as Bruce Power, OPG and Home Hardware. They, the larger companies, don’t need our marketing or advertising but are supportive of the chamber and the community.”

“We also have ‘affinity’ partners who are individuals and not necessarily a business,” added Mitchell.  “They may have had a business that was a Chamber member and now continue their membership as an individual for the benefits that include an extended health care package, discounts at Esso gas and with Fedex, etc.”

“We serve as a search engine for small businesses in Saugeen Shore,” said Mitchell. “Smaller businesses want a resource centre to meet and network with other business owners and the chamber also serves that purpose.”

Located at 559 Goderich Street in Port Elgin, the location also houses Service Ontario, and as Mitchell explained, the latter is not a government outlet.  “Most people think that Service Ontario is the government but, in Port Elgin, it is actually an issuing office operated by the Chamber and the people who work there are employed by the chamber.”

Also playing an active role in the community, the chamber hosts a variety of events such as the Business After Five networking social, the International Women’s Day breakfast, the Women’s Business Organization of Saugeen Shores (WBOSS), Networks on the Green golf tournament, Breakfast with the Mayor and Business Leadership in Saugeen Shores (BLISS).

For more information on Saugeen Shores Chamber of Commerce, visit:  https://www.saugeenshoreschamber.ca/