Longtime CEO retires and is replaced by Ashley Edwards
People raised a glass to recognize the efforts of outgoing Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce CEO Suzanne Renken during her time in the position. She started with the chamber in December 2007.
By Jeff Helsdon
Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce said good-bye to long-time CEO Suzanne Renken recently at a retirement party that drew around 100 people.
Accolades were given to Renken on many fronts. Throughout the evening, it was mentioned how the Tillsonburg chamber “punched above its weight” and was as effective as chambers in much larger centers. She started the popular Business After 5 monthly networking meetings and turned the annual Awards of Excellence into a first-rate gala.
“When Suzanne first joined the chamber, it was in a different place, and over the years, we’ve all seen tremendous changes,” said chamber president Megan Causyn. “Through it all, Suzanne has been a constant pillar of dedication, expertise and unwavering commitment.”
The Tillsonburg District Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in 1987. Former Tillsonburg librarian Matthew Scholtz was the secretary and performed many roles in the early years. Staff were hired in various capacities, but a committee of chamber executive members Shane Curtis, Michael Bossy, Lisa Gilvesy and Phil Esseltine had a mandate to hire someone to grow the chamber.
Renken had a business degree and had worked for various companies, including IBM. At the time the chamber was looking for someone, Renken was working part-time with her children at home. As fate had it, her printer was broken so she went to the library to use the library’s for something she needed printed for her job.
“Matt came out and asked me if I wanted a job,” she said. “It was circumstance. They didn’t search me out and I don’t know if I would have heard about it, if I hadn’t gone to the library.“
She went through a quick learning curve about the role of a chamber of commerce. Renken became involved in the Chambers Executive of Ontario – the professional development arm of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce - to learn more.
Tillsonburg put forward seven policies that were adopted by the provincial chamber in Renken’s time. These include such diverse topics as access to primary medical care in underserviced communities, reducing congestion on highways following collisions, the permitting system for oversized loads and Ontario’s Residential Tenancies Act.
Causyn paid tribute to this during her remarks. “One of the things I admire most about Suzanne is her incredible ability to advocate,” she said. “This unique talent has not only made her an asset to our chamber, but also a source of inspiration for many other chambers, and we were punching above our weight.”
Curtis spoke of Renken’s tremendous dedication and the amount she put into the job.
“Suzanne provided the leadership we needed to continually punch above our weight in the chamber network,” he said. “She created a Business after 5 culture that is one of the best in the country, continued to drive and grow revenue, stay relevent on government policy, host a world class awards night and became a well-respected leader in her peer network.”
Brittany Van Den Brink, Suzanne’s daughter, did communication work with the chamber and told the crowd at the retirement party she has been fortunate to work beside her mother.
“You worked your butt off, sometimes to a fault, until all hours of the night,” she said while paying tribute to her mother during the party.
Renken plans on still working with chamber on a consulting basis on the policy side in the short term. With more time on her hands, she wants to focus on self-care, spending more time with family and joining husband Lloyd in retirement.
Edwards the new CEO
Ashley Edwards, who joined the chamber eight years ago, is the new CEO. With her husband Ken, they own 3E Power Services Ltd., 3-E Distribution Inc. and AE Academy of Nails.
“The chamber does amazing things in our community,” she said as the reason they joined. “It advocates for businesses and is the voice of business. It’s a great networking opportunity.”
Four years ago, she was approached and asked if she would be interested in becoming a director of the chamber. She became vice-president, then president for a short stint. In the latter role, one of the first challenges was replacing Renken.
“Somewhere in there, when we got to a certain point, I realized I was interested in becoming the CEO,” she said.
Edwards then took a leave of absence from the board to apply for the CEO position. She was chosen as Renken’s successor.
Acknowledging the tremendous work Renken did and the shoes she needs to fill, Edwards will continue advocating for business at the local level, liaising with the provincial and national chambers of commerce and working with the board of directors.
“The amount of time they (board members) put in to volunteer - it’s incredible,” she said. “We are so blessed to have such a supportive board of directors standing behind us as a community.”
She will also continue planning events such as the golf tournament, awards night and monthly Business After 5 networking events. The tremendous success of Renken’s retirement party shows she is already off on the right foot.
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