Anyone who has ever attended a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Cranbrook, British Columbia, knows that the chamber members do not fit into a cookie cutter mould. Every level of industry is represented, from ranchers and resource workers to retailers and realtors. One of the mandates of the Cranbrook & District Chamber of Commerce is to help build connections between the different sectors of business that can create more local opportunity and revenue.

To that end, the chamber organized a tour of several member operations in Cranbrook’s Industrial Park. Twenty-five participants signed up for an industry tour, which included stops at the Anywear Garment Company, Gipman Millwork & Design Ltd., Martech Electrical Systems Ltd., Playpen Pet Boarding & Grooming, and New Dawn Developments.

Anywear Garment Co., owned by Connie Savage, specializes in custom logo work on promotional items such as clothing, coffee mugs, pens, laniards and more. Savage said that while most of her business is local, she receives orders from all over southern B.C. and Alberta. Her clients appreciate her quick turnaround time—approximately two weeks for most bulk orders.

Gipman Millwork & Design Ltd. is a great success story. Currently located in four different locations within Cranbrook—the main building is almost incognito with no signage to identify it—owner Garold Gipman is amalgamating the entire operation in one new location in Industrial Park. The new 14,000-square-foot building will continue to create the custom-built cabinetry for which the Gipman has become quietly known since 1988. Gipman has become successful mainly by word of mouth by delivering high quality products at competitive prices. His greatest challenge, he said, is educating the general public that they don’t have to look out of town to have the kitchen of their dreams.

Tony Hetu is the general manager of the Cranbrook branch of Martech Electrical Systems; the other two centres are located in Castlegar and Sparwood, B.C. Martech is a full-service electrical centre that does everything from troubleshooting small residential electrical problems to large-scale installations. While the operation currently has between 12 and 14 employees, Hetu said the goal is to increase their operations in the region in the next number of years.

Playpen Pet Boarding & Grooming has been in business since 2008, and is the only full-service pet boarding, daycare and grooming facility in Cranbrook. Owner Carla Shelley used to walk the beat as a city police officer but has since turned to her softer, squishier side as a business person completely devoted to her furry, four-legged clients (and their owners). Shelley spent considerable time researching the best way to care for pets in a way that reduced the stress of the animals and the people who love them. The facility is clean, bright and clearly a resort for pets, who reportedly love their stay.

New Dawn Developments Ltd. is a Kootenay success story. Rick Jensen, the CEO, started the company in 1978; in 1986, his son, Chad, joined the organization as president. The operation has built some of the region’s most impressive resort developments, including the Wolf Lake resort homes at Panorama Mountain Village—the former Intrawest ski resort that Rick purchased this past winter. New Dawn offers custom home building from start to finish. Clients can arrive with just a rough idea of what their dream home should look like, and New Dawn walks with them through the whole process—from choosing faucets and flooring to siding and soffits—right to the moment they turn over the keys.

Following the tour, participants were treated to a barbecue dinner at New Dawn, where they got a chance to network with some of the business owners and participants. Attendees were impressed with the diversity and resiliance of the businesses in the city, and chamber president Sean Campbell was pleased with the turnout.

“The tour was an important initiative for the chamber as a way to bring some of our members into the spotlight with an opportunity to talk about the products and services they offer, the challenges they face and how they define success,” said Campbell. “What the chamber can take away from the tour is a better understanding of some of the common challenges and where we might work to help members address these issues. I'm confident that a spring and/or fall tour series will be on the chamber's radar for 2011.”