Drysdale looking forward to NOACC meeting

Tannis Drysdale, president of the Northwestern Ontario Associated Chambers of Commerce, will be plenty busy this weekend as she leads her first NOACC spring meeting in Nipigon.
“We’ll be looking at a number of things,” the Fort Frances resident said Monday afternoon.
“At the fall meeting, we have our election and pass resolutions. At the spring meeting, we create our corporate plan for the new year,” Drysdale added.
This “corporate plan” includes financial reports and updates on information such as NOACC’s Web site (www.noacc.com).
The three-day conference, which runs Friday through Sunday, will more of an “informational meeting” than anything else, Drysdale noted.
“Although our main goal is lobbying for the northwest, another thing NOACC does is try to get Chambers of Commerce to work together,” she remarked.
“We like to hear about the successes—and failures—of different ventures various Chambers may have undertaken. It can be a learning experience,” she added, noting round-table discussions about membership growth, tourism promotion ideas, and fundraising should prove interesting.
Presenters will include:
•Rob Stinchcombe of FedNor, who will talk about eco-tourism;
•Ian Deslauriers of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH), who will discuss resource-based tourism;
•Doug Reynolds of the Northern Ontario Tourist Outfitters;
•Michael Gravelle, MPP for Thunder Bay-Thunder Bay/Superior North;
•Caren Naismith of Bell Canada; and
•Jon Christianson of the Great Rendezvous.
Drysdale, who was elected president last fall, said she was looking forward to heading the spring meeting, adding, “This year, NOACC has an excellent executive and it’s a pleasure working with them.”