On the heels of a failed bid to become a Surrey city councillor, Raminder Thomas returned to her position as executive director for the Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce and found that it wanted to take a new direction — one that she didn’t agree with.
“The board decided to take a different direction upon my return. I decided that that didn’t really fit with what I had been doing for the last two and a half years, so I resigned,” she said.
Thomas took a leave of absence during the municipal election campaign and returned to her position in early November.
Thomas declined to elaborate on what the new direction was, but did say she wanted to stress that it was the direction of new president Brian Leong, and not the board of directors in general, that she disagreed with.
“I didn’t see eye to eye with him,” she said.
Brian Leong was named president of the chamber in September, following an annual general meeting. When asked to comment on Thomas’ resignation, Leong directed the Reporter to a statement published on the chamber’s website.
The statement announcing Thomas’ resignation effective Nov. 16, signed by Leong, was posted on the “chamber staff” page of the chamber’s website, under the executive director heading.
“We would like to give a sincere ‘Thank You!’ to Raminder for her dedication and enthusiasm in her time with the Chamber. We wish her much success and all the best in her future endeavors,” it reads.
For now, Thomas plans to take an opportunity to be with family. She leaves for India on Monday to visit her grandmother.
“When I come back I’ll be pursuing other opportunities that will hopefully be as challenging,” she said. “I’m looking forward to what the new year holds, and any new opportunities headed my way.”
“I wish the [chamber] well. I worked really hard to make sure it was a striving organization. I wish the membership well. In the last two and a half years, I’ve met so many great people. I wish everyone so much success,” she said.
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