Dan Spinner has stepped down as CEO of the WestShore Chamber of Commerce, as the organization aims to reduce a deficit and get back on track.
Along with the departure of Spinner, chamber CEO since 2010, an administrative co-ordinator position has also been eliminated.
To fill the void, Lindsay Wilson is stepping up as acting executive director to assist with an ongoing review of the Chamber’s finances and direction.
Communications and community relations manager Craig Sorochan said the board and new president Doug Kobayashi have been taking a hard look at the chamber’s financials since the start of the new year.
“We started to look at the numbers and they weren’t adding up,” Sorochan said. “It’s not unmanageable, but we did have to make some changes to get things in order.”
One of the main sources of financial frustration for the chamber has been its foray into media, including taking responsibility for WestShore magazine and producing WestShore Unlimited TV.
The chamber axed both endeavours in 2013.
“With the (advertising) market and whatnot, the revenues for the magazine – and eventually the TV show – that were expected to come in, didn’t come in,” Sorochan said.
Moving forward, the chamber will continue to examine its finances and focus on serving its membership and encouraging business in the West Shore, he said.
“It’s time for us to focus on making sure that people know the West Shore is a great place to do business and that members know we’re the go-to organization. We should be in pretty good position here to move forward within a couple of years.”
kwells@goldstreamgazette.com
