The Steinbach Chamber of Commerce is buzzing with positive energy and Executive Director Tessa Masi offers some exciting insights from her recent trips to conferences in Halifax. With the Chamber experiencing unprecedented growth, Masi returned inspired and strengthened by the networking opportunities and best practices shared among chamber leaders across Canada.

“I was lucky enough to travel to Halifax for the Canadian Chambers of Commerce Executives conference and General Assembly meeting,” Masi shares. “It was amazing because I sat in a room with about 300 people in Canada who were doing the same job as me. I met people from small rooms, big rooms, understanding what they were doing? What were the new ideas? What were their best practices? Just get advice and really network and build relationships.” .”

Masi describes this experience as an excellent opportunity to learn and grow and confirms that the experience met his expectations.

“I wanted to build relationships with other chambers and learn about what they do and what they enjoy about their jobs. One of the biggest things I took away from that conference and then the Canadian Chambers of Commerce conference was that right after that, I felt very fortunate about what we had at Steinbach.”

What makes Steinbach different? Masi highlights Oda’s strong roster compared to many others he has faced.

“We have a Chamber with multiple staff. There are other places where there is one staff member who is expected to do everything; it must be really difficult for them,” he explains. “We can put on great events. We have great interaction with our members. We have over 500 members. That puts us in a completely different category than in previous years.”

Masi’s enthusiasm, growth and Participation of the chamber attracts national attention.

“For those who have heard that the Steinbach Chamber has expanded to the Canadian level and that we have over 500 members, a lot of people are surprised by that in the best way possible.”

As the Steinbach Chamber of Commerce continues to expand its reach and impact, Masi’s recent experiences have further strengthened his commitment to fostering relationships and innovative practices.