The Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce has some hardware to add to their shelves after accepting their third Chamber of the Year award from the Alberta Chamber of Commerce (ACC).
The award was unexpected. In the past, the chamber has nominated themselves for the award as common practice. This year, it came as a total surprise when their name was announced as the recipient of the award.
“Normally it's a nomination that would come from within your chamber, so maybe a board of directors or the executive director. This one didn't come from us, which is what's shocking about it,” said executive director for the Cold Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce Sherri Bohme.
The award is presented to four Alberta chambers based on membership size. The winners are chosen through a nomination process with the final decision left up to the ACC board of directors. They're chosen based on criteria set by the award selection committee.
“The recognition was really nice because it had come from another chamber, and we had no idea we had been nominated,” Bohme expressed. “The fact that it had come from another chamber was amazing and it was really special. It meant a lot to us.”
This is the third time they have won the award. They were first in the spotlight in 1998, followed by their second win in 2011.
Bohme believes it's the chambers advocacy efforts, media relations, and relationships built throughout the community that has made them stand out time and time again.
Unaware of the nomination at the time, Bohme was left in shock when they announced the Cold Lake Regional Chamber as the award recipient during the ACC annual conference and policy session in Leduc on Saturday, May 27.
“When they start announcing the winner, they usually do a little bit of background on the chamber who had been chosen. They were starting to talk about a chamber that was just over 300 members, and I'm sitting there thinking ‘that sounds dangerously close to ours, I wonder who that is,'” she described. “When they called our name, I literally sat at the table for a minute and had to let it process.”
The true recognition comes from their own backyard. Bohme said seeing the success they have had within the community proves that they're on the right track.
She continued, “I believe that's where recognition really comes from, is your successes and your membership who wants to participate and be involved.”
