This is the inaugural feature for The Citizen's new series called City of Entrepreneurs where each week a unique business owner in Prince George will be showcased in The Citizen Extra.
Since the Chamber of Commerce represents and promotes business in Prince George, The Citizen starts the series by introducing the chamber's new chief executive officer, Erika Ewacha.
Ewacha was born in Fort St. John, raised in and around Winnipeg, attended University of Winnipeg and graduated with her bachelor of arts in history, then started traveling and moving around.
Ewacha is married to Brandon and the couple has two dogs they like to take camping as they explore the great outdoors.
"That was certainly something we heard about from friends - you don't have to drive very far in Prince George before you hit lakes and forests," she said, who indulges her passion for photography.
She enjoys taking photos of her family, as well as nature and animals.
Ewacha spent the last four years in Terrace and last year she rounded up friends who had dogs and convinced them to let her to take their cute pet's photos that were put in a calendar that was used as a fundraiser for the local animal shelter.
Ewacha was at the Terrace Chamber of Commerce as the executive assistant and then moved into the role of executive director for the last year and a half.
"That was my introduction to the chamber world," she said. "I really like making those connections and I very much grew up in a not-for-profit household where both my parents worked for non-profits and I worked for non-profits before, too. So it was certainly that part of the world that I am familiar with."
Ewacha has only been at the local chamber for a few weeks and still settling into the position during the quiet summer season.
"But we're gearing up for the major events, getting back into the luncheons and coffee times and also gearing up for the Business Excellence Awards," she added. "That's a good way to learn how everything happens and what we do. I'm excited for fall when it gets busier and I start to meet more members and start to meet more of the community."
Chambers of Commerce operate on a number of levels, Ewacha said, especially as the voice for the local business community to government.
"We really do listen to what's happening in the community," she added. "We can then talk to government and say here's what we're finding a struggle, here's what we think the solution might be, whether that's local, provincial or federal government."
As members of the national and provincial chamber body the local chamber can offer its members benefits, including a group insurance plan, partnerships with couriers, and a whole host of perks.
"Then of course on a local scale we hold many networking events, including luncheons, provide information sharing opportunities, and member-to-member benefits," she said.
"We do a lot."
Many people join the chamber of commerce because they want to be good corporate stewards, knowing it supports the community as a whole and the business community, she added.
Right after she moved to Prince George at the beginning of the year, Ewacha was part of the Canadian Cancer Society team but she couldn't resist pursuing the chamber position because that was more in her wheel house.
"I was really excited to get back into the chamber because they do such good things," she said.
As part of her duties as the CEO of the Prince George Chamber of Commerce, Ewacha said she'd like to focus on growing membership.
"I want to keep the chamber in the forefront of people's minds when it comes to them having a business challenge and wondering who they can talk to," she said. "That's really big for me and that's something that I focused on in Terrace and I was able to grow the membership and that was very exciting. Right now I'm just sitting back and learning and in the fall we'll dive into strategic planning when I have a better idea of what the world looks like in Prince George and I'm not just a few weeks into the job."
