Fort Smith (Jan 31/05) - The Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce is back in business.

At a Jan. 26 meeting attended by about 20 businesspeople, a new executive was elected for the first time since 2003.

Keith Morrison, an outfitter and guide, has been elected president of the revived Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce. - NNSL file photo

Until the meeting, the chamber did not have an executive, as no one was interested in running last year, and the organization was virtually defunct.

The new president is Keith Morrison, a 37-year-old outfitter and guide who owns and operates Slave Kayak Lodge.

Morrison says the chamber needs a fresh start.

The new president says his first goals are to get the chamber's house in order by improving its finances, establishing committees, holding monthly meetings and increasing membership.

"I'm confident the chamber will regain its status," he says.

Morrison also wants to re-establish good contacts with government, noting the chamber has had sometimes tumultuous relationships with town council and the GNWT.

Other members of the executive are vice-president Meika McDonald, secretary-treasurer Anna Kikoak and directors Bob Rhodes, Craig Browne, Bernie Minute, Dennis Bevington, Darcy Greer, Natalie Kaeser, Blaine Walterhouse and Ib Kristensen.

The president and vice-president were acclaimed, while there were 11 candidates for the eight director positions.

Morrison describes the new leadership as a mixture of young entrepreneurs and successful, well-established businesspeople in Fort Smith.

"These are all people who have stepped forward to get this going again," he says.

Chamber director and long-time member Ib Kristensen, who had kept the chamber barely alive over the past year by keeping its financial records up to date, was pleased by the recent meeting.

"There was a good rapport and a good atmosphere," he says.

However, he notes the chamber needs more involvement from the business community. "We don't have enough members yet. There are a lot of members sitting back to see what's going on."

While he did not know the exact number of current members, he says the chamber should have between 40-50 more.

Kristensen is pleased there are so many young people involved in the new board, noting it reflects a change in the Fort Smith business community.

A renewal of the chamber was one of the main goals resulting from a community economic development conference in November.

The chamber was formed in 1962.