6 July 2022 – For Immediate Release
FREDERICTON, NB – Last week at their annual general meeting, the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce welcomed Jill Stairs of Daye Kelly & Associates as its board of directors president for 2022-2023, taking over the role from Jeff Saunders of Teed Saunders Doyle. Saunders moves into the past president role for a one-year term.
Stairs has been a board member at the chamber since 2015. During that time and in preparation for the role, she has been heavily involved in the chamber’s activities, particularly in relation to advocacy efforts and co-chaired the chamber’s Government Affairs Committee in 2021-22. She previously acted as the organization’s treasurer.
Stairs holds a Chartered Professional Accounting designation, and has earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from UNB as well as a technical diploma from NBCC. With an educational background in Computer Science, Operations Management, and Human Resources, she has worked in both the Information Technology and Energy sectors before moving to Public Practice in 2008.
“The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce continues to be a successful because of engaged community leaders like Jill stepping up to volunteer their time and expertise,” said Chamber CEO Krista Ross. “Our team is very fortunate to be led by such talented and committed business people that bring boots-on-the-ground knowledge and forward-thinking leadership to our organization.
Outgoing president Jeff Saunders presented the chamber’s President’s Award to Dale Esson of the Government of New Brunswick. The award celebrates a business, organization or individual for extraordinary service and contributions that have assisted the chamber overall, but in particular – during that president’s year. Mr Esson was instrumental in helping the chamber become a distribution centre for COVID-19 rapid tests in 2021 and 2022.
In addition to Stairs and Saunders the other Executive Committee members for 2022-23 are:
- 1st Vice President – Michael Melvin, McInnes Cooper
- 2nd Vice President – David Shipley, Beauceron Security Inc.
- Treasurer – Shannon Dion, Bringloe Feeney, LLP
- Executive Member – Dave Milburn, Focal Point Landscape Design and Installation
The chamber board also had a number of incoming board members confirmed, replacing members that completed a two-year term.
The newest members of the chamber board are:
- Tosin Ajibola, Welkom-U Inc.
- Gilles Allain, The Chalmers Foundation
- Stanley Barnaby, Joint Economic Development Initiative (JEDI)
- Fanny Bodart, The Property Ladies (2nd two-year term)
- Noel Eustace, Instant Imprints Fredericton
- Jenna Evans, Stiletto: Make A Point
- Michelle Paquin, Spacek Armstrong & Norrad
Returning Board Members are:
- Rodney Blanchard, Stantec Consulting Ltd.
- Samantha Bosca, RBC Royal Bank
- Tim Daley, Scotiabank
- Victoria Gillan, Mariner Partners
- Asif Hasan, SimpTek Technologies Inc.
- Catherine McLatchie, Foster & Company
- Jordan O’Brien, Porter O’Brien
Finishing their terms on the board in 2022 are:
- Betty Blanchard – My Closet Consignment
- Bob Chisholm – McDonald’s Restaurants (2020-21 President)
- Beth Fairbairn – Autism Intervention Services
- Kumaran Thillainadarajah – Smart Skin Technologies
-30-
The Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, a nationally accredited organization with more than 1,000 members, is an active business organization engaged in policy development and advocacy that affects the competitiveness of our members and the Canadian business environment. The Chamber’s vision is ‘Stronger Community Through Business Prosperity’
Contact: Krista Ross, Fredericton Chamber of Commerce CEO – (506) 458-8006
