New year, new Board of Directors for Chamber

The Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce its 2025 Board of Directors.

Joining the board for their first term, effective Jan. 1, are Ashka Wirk, Principal of Wirk Consulting; Corey Gillon, CEO of Peninsula Co-op; Elizabeth M. Brown, President and CEO of the Victoria Airport Authority; Mary Lou Newbold, Chief Eyewear Officer of Mayfair Optometric Clinic; and Spencer Walker, Director and Team Lead at CIBC Commercial Banking.

Christina Clarke, Executive Director of the Indigenous Prosperity Centre, takes on the role of Board Chair, while James Gatsi, Business Development Manager with Tecnet, becomes the new Vice-Chair. Kris Wirk, Partner at Dusanj and Wirk, assumes the role of Past Chair after serving for two years as Chair.

“Christina adds a thoughtful and well-informed perspective that will help the business community thrive in Greater Victoria,” Past Chamber Chair Kris Wirk said. “She and the Board have my full support as they write the next chapter in The Chamber’s long and storied history.”

The Chamber’s board consists of established and emerging business and community leaders who will work with Chamber committees and staff. Board members are elected for two-year terms, and there were five positions up for election for 2025.

“Greater Victoria’s business community is exceptionally well-represented on the 2025 Chamber Board of Directors and I’m excited to continue our work — building good business and great community,” incoming Chamber Chair Christina Clarke said. “I’d like to thank Kris for everything he did over the past two years to lead our organization as we adapted and evolved to increase our resiliency during challenging economic times.”

The Chamber extends a heartfelt thank you to outgoing Board members John Wilson, Richard Michaels, Judith Ethier, Ann Squires Ferguson, Pedro Marquez, Dean Clarke and Deborah Huelscher for their service.