Incoming and outgoing Chamber presidents speak of community pride and hope for the future

The meeting gavel for the Whitecourt & District Chamber of Commerce was officially passed
from now-past-president Louise Meier to new president Terriann Masse earlier this month. Meier
said the last two years flew by quickly. “It’s been an interesting ride. It’s nice to sit around the
table with like-minded people and discuss and create things.” She said getting to know
businesses and learning how to become a partner with them are highlights for her, as well as
getting to know town and county officials.
During her two-year term as president, Meier had three “pet projects” that were very dear to her.
“One was the Fresh Community Market, the second was the President’s Gala, and the third was
the networking events. Rather than just having meetings, those networking events are such a
great opportunity for people who typically don’t come to the meetings. They can come out and
enjoy each other’s company in a relaxed environment,” she explained.
Meier said she is happy they are doing well. “I love the market. When you’re getting 600 people
each Saturday coming out, I think the community loves the market as well. It’s a highlight of the
season for us. The President’s Gala is about celebrating the Chamber and the community. And
now, bringing the business awards into the evening is just fabulous. Seeing business owners
feel part of what makes this community what it is, is special.”
She said that seeing all the players at the same table is one of the things that makes the
Chamber a success story. “The not-for-profits, the big players and the little players all have a
place in the circle, and it’s nice to see them all sit at those tables together and feel that what
they do in this town has value. I think that’s what I take away from this experience. We are all
here for the same purpose.”
As she settles into her role as past president, Meier said she hopes to support Masse just as the
previous president, Mark Dickin, did for her. “He was my wingman, and I want to be Terriann’s
wingman. I want to help set her up for as much success and help her if she needs it. I think
she’s going to do a great job.”
Masse said that Meier and Dickin were mentors to her for the last few years and credits how
they handled the presidency and worked with businesses and the board as her inspiration for
stepping into the role she now has. “I watched how they carried themselves. They inspired me
to see what was possible,” said Masse.
As president, Masse said she is excited to get to work and is focused on growing awareness of
what it means to be part of the Chamber. When she was first introduced to it, Masse said she
didn’t know anything about it. “A family member was part of the Chamber when we had just
started Tri-Steel. He invited me to a meeting to see what it was all about, and I fell in love with
it,” explained Masse. “I soon realized how supportive the community was with new businesses.”
As she started networking with more people and learning about the Chamber, she felt the pull to
get involved. “Being with like-minded business owners, talking about the day-to-day decisions
you have to make, the ups and downs of business, and having a place to network with people
and promote your business, was what I fell in love with.”

Taking on the role also brings with it some nerves as Masse gets used to leading the board and
becoming the voice for the Chamber. “There will be a lot of eyes on me, and I want to make
everyone happy. I know that isn’t really possible, but it’s what I am striving to do. If there is
something we can do to help, then I will lead that way.”
Masse owns Tri-Steel Salvage, her husband owns GFI Solutions Ltd, and the pair also own the
Whitecourt Wolverines. “I love Whitecourt for its strong focus on family, and it is an excellent
place for business. I’ve never seen such a supportive town, even on social media, where people
share each other’s posts, promote shopping locally, or rave about someone’s business. And our
business community is active. Whitecourt has a warmth about it,” smiled Masse.
“When you give, you get back. That’s how I’ve realized that Whitecourt is, so we keep giving
and getting back,” explained Masse. Being involved in the Chamber is just the next level of
giving. “The role is volunteer. There are only two paid positions at the Chamber. The board of
directors is volunteer run, including all the executive members,” adding that people get involved
with the Chamber because they desire to support others.
Masse said she hopes the membership will have confidence in her. “I want them to feel
welcome and to talk to me about the woes of business too. It always looks fun and exciting, but
business isn’t always fun and exciting. We want to be a safe space for businesses to talk to us
about their struggles and how we can help because I also have that experience.”
A couple of Masse’s goals are to amplify the benefits of being a member and show businesses
the value of joining and current members the value of staying. She also wants an LED sign
added to the community to help advertise the membership and upcoming events.
“It’s already in the works, but it’s going to be a big job and a long process that might not even
happen while I’m in this role still, but if we can see the value in it and get enough people on
board, then it can be something that benefits the membership and the community,” said Masse.
She said revenue from a sign like that would enable the Chamber to do “bigger and better
things.”
With the gavel firmly in her grasp, Masse said everyone wants to be proud to be part of a
successful business or organization and that the Chamber is no different. “It’s always evolving.
It’s never going to stagnate. We are always evolving and having the best focus on business
owners, and I’m looking forward to what the next two years bring.”