THREE founding members of the Commerce Warrnambool lobby group have stepped down from the leadership board and called for fresh faces to take a lead.
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Inaugural secretary Jennifer Lowe, Darren Harris and Peter Watson said they were happy the group was on its way to becoming an effective representative for all business sectors in the city.
Their decision to resign from the board but retain membership of the organisation comes only weeks before Commerce Warrnambool launches its first strategic plan with future goals early next month.
Board president Richard Montgomery said a decision was yet to be made on whether the trio would be replaced or the 15-member board trimmed in size.
“We are very grateful for the contribution by these founding members,” he said.
The trio first formulated the idea over a coffee chat in 2008 after realising the absence of a local chamber of commerce needed to be addressed.
This led to a steering committee in 2009 and official formation of the new group and board a year later.
“I truly believe Warrnam-bool needs a strong and independent chamber of commerce organisation and wish it well for the future,” Mrs Lowe said.
“It only seems like yesterday when I had my first coffee meeting with Darren and Peter to develop the idea and muster up business support for our first community meeting at the Masonic Lodge.”
Mrs Lowe said she needed to devote more time to her studies at Deakin University.
According to Mr Harris, most credit for driving the group’s formation must go to Mrs Lowe.
“There’s no doubt it is achieving its goal, but it needs new people from all sections of the business community to come on board,” he said.
Mr Watson said it was important to encourage young people to get into small business and become part of the group. “We are excited about the future and will continue as members of Commerce Warrnambool,” he said yesterday.
“With a new strategic plan coming it’s perfect timing for us to step down.”
Mrs Lowe will retain her role as a partnership broker with South West Local Learning and Employment Network which also supported the formation of Commerce Warrnambool.
The network’s chief executive Toni Jenkins said Warrnambool was the only major regional community without a chamber of commerce-type organisation.
“We believed it was important that such a group have a strong focus on long-term learning,” she said.
