Abbotsford –The Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce has introduced the newly elected Board of Directors for the 2026-2027 term. The new board members were sworn in at the 2026 Annual General Meeting on March 25, which included a keynote presentation from U.S. Consul General in Vancouver, Shawn Crowley.
The Chamber is proud to welcome its incoming executive governance team:
- President Sam Varing, Senior Legal Counsel, First West Credit Union
- Vice President Josh Reynolds, Vice President, HR & External Relations, Summit Pacific College
- Secretary Loren Taves, Managing Owner, Taves Estate Cidery and Taves Family Farm
- Treasurer Jimmy Severn, Senior Accountant, Doane Grant Thornton LLP
Continuing in their roles as Directors:
- Jennifer Menge Ewart, Director of Philanthropy, Fraser Valley Healthcare Foundation
- Kamna Suri, Regional Sales Manager, Sandman Hotel Group
- Steve Couper, Director DND Programs, Cascade Aerospace
- Steve Czeck, Owner & CEO, Empyrion Technologies
- Vineet Verghese, Vice President, Commercial Financial Services, RBC
Following a selection process by the Board Nominations Committee, the Chamber is pleased to announce three new Directors joining the Board:
- Dan Teillet, Regional Manager, Commercial Banking, Envision Financial
- Nolan Baerg, Chief Financial Officer, Columbia Kitchen Cabinets
- Sara Tebbutt Albert, Founder and Partner, Lawyer, Albert & Co. Law
Paul Penner concludes his term as Board President, and the Chamber extends its sincere thanks for his leadership and contributions to both the organization and the broader business community.
“It is with gratitude and excitement that I step into the role of President of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce Board,” said Sam Varing. “Having served on the Board since 2020, I deeply value our local business community. I look forward to working alongside our dedicated Board members and supporting our CEO Alex Mitchell and team to build on the Chamber’s momentum and support Abbotsford’s entrepreneurs and businesses.”
“Our members have navigated significant economic challenges over the past year, but their strength lies in working collectively adapting, reimagining, and investing not just to persevere, but to thrive,” said Abbotsford Chamber CEO Alex Mitchell. “I’m thrilled to see so many new representatives from our membership join our Board. Under the strategic vision of incoming Chair Sam Varing, our Chamber will continue to amplify our members’ voices and make Abbotsford an even better place to do business.”
About the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce:
The Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce represents the needs of Abbotsford’s businesses and empowers economic development across the Fraser Valley region. For over 110 years, the Abbotsford Chamber has been the voice of business, working on behalf of nearly 800 members, investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs and young professionals, breaking down barriers to business development and trade, advocating for investments and policies to help businesses succeed, and building community and connections.
The Abbotsford Chamber is nationally accredited to meet standards of business excellence and provide benefits to its member organizations.
