Ken Wilson has been a member of the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce for more than 30 years, initially through his employer “Jimmy Pattison and local radio” and then as an independent business owner.
He started supporting the chamber on some committee work and then rapidly started to get involved more with the chamber at the board level.
Wilson has been on the board for more than 25 years and is still there today as active as ever helping us to develop our strategic plans and grow our chamber. Throughout his chamber involvement he has held all the executive positions according to our succession planning and now sits as a director. His experience, knowledge, and passion for chamber work have provided invaluable mentoring for the board.
Wilson also has served on every standing committee, numerous task forces, and acts as a liaison between us and other organizations in Williams Lake. Most recently he attended B.C. Transit regional and the B.C. Cancer Foundation meetings to help them and ourselves in gathering information for future activities in the community.
Wilson served more than three terms as a district director for the BC Chamber of Commerce and travelled to every community in the district at least three to four times a year in that time.
He would set meetings with their board and staff, putting together an agenda that was blended with the BC Chamber and current issues. He would speak on behalf of the BC Chamber on issues that affected our district as well as the province.
Many times he would also travel to provide support if they were experiencing difficulties in their chamber.
Most often he would involve our chamber in these projects including having the Williams Lake chamber executive director attend with him. When driving to district meetings, it wasn’t uncommon for us to “pick up” other board members along the way from neighbouring communities who would travel with us providing a mini meeting venue in the vehicle as we drove.
Wilson’s mandate as a district director would always include his strongly worded encouragement for communities that were not a member of the BC Chamber to become involved through membership. Presently some of Wilson’s advocacy as the chair of our membership committee, a volunteer position he takes seriously and has provided us with much success.
Wilson has attended and participated in many BC Chamber annal general meeting and conferences, working with policy resolutions and advocating on issues.
As a very active community volunteer he has been involved in economic development for the City of Williams Lake on behalf of the chamber.
As a Navy veteran he is presently strongly involved with the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139.
His wife Cynthia has worked willingly at his side throughout their more than 50 years of marriage and should be recognized for her support of his time and involvement, her attendance of many BC Chamber conferences as well as her volunteer work for the Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce.
The Williams Lake and District Chamber of Commerce, BC Chamber of Commerce and the community of Williams Lake should be thankful for Ken’s passion for chamber work, may it be long be contagious for all!
Claudia Blair is the executive director with the Williams Lake & District Chamber of Commerce.