Chamber plots new direction

Caroline Hayes has been announced as the new president of the Albany Chamber of Commerce and Industry, bringing with her a wide range of business and community experience.

Ms Hayes has lived in Albany for 13 years and is a business partner at Professionals Real Estate.

She has been an executive board member at the ACCI for two years, also serving on the board of the Albany Community Foundation.

Ms Hayes highlighted strategic planning as a focus.

“I’m very excited and looking forward to steering the chamber and its members into a new direction with a real focus on strategic planning for the future as a chamber and as business owners,” she said

“I’m looking at the issues that are affecting us in business and looking at broadening our member base and member services.

“There are so many issues surrounding business at the moment, so I’m being very proactive and looking at some of those things.”

Ms Hayes said she brought plenty of business experience to the role.

“Certainly I’m a go-getter,” she said.

“I’m very headstrong when it comes to getting things done.

“I definitely have a determination to make a difference which I’ve shown across the board in many other community involvement areas, so it’s time to turn that on the business community and hopefully make a difference for them also.”

Ms Hayes thanked outgoing president Cameron Bergsma.

“I would like to extend our gratitude as a board to former president Cameron Bergsma and the valuable contribution he has made to ACCI,” she said.