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Gladue becomes AdvantageHOPE chair

Plus: three new members join AdvantageHOPE board of directors.
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AdvantageHOPE board chair Anna Gladue stands with, from left, Hope Visitor Centre and Museum Complex manager Helen Kennedy, asset development in-charge Stephanie Hooker and executive director Tammy Shields.

Anna Gladue is the new chair of AdvantageHOPE’s board.

The businessperson was nominated and voted as chair on March 28. Before that, she was a director on that board for three years, and believes that directors play a key role in AdvantageHOPE.

“I’m one of 12, I have a very confident staff also. We’re working from a really comprehensive 17-page work plan … set out for us for the next two years at minimum.” said Gladue.

The 17-page work plan has elements including tourism, bylaw development, infrastructure and trails.

Gladue said that other than having to do media interviews and bearing the brunt of dissent, she does not feel her role as chair differs much from her directorship. She also fully trusts executive director Tammy Shields.

“The woman is bulletproof. Never has she come up with an idea that I’ve been like, “What? Are you serious?’ ” she said.

Gladue said AdvantageHOPE’s vision is not hers. Rather, AdvantageHOPE is sensitive to the needs of the community and the District of Hope’s goals outlined in the economic development plan and Integrated Official Community Plan.

Gladue said that, as chair, she wants to push through with the municipal regional district tax (MRDT), better known as the hotel tax.

“Since probably about 2002, 2003, when I was on the [Hope and District] Chamber of Commerce … that initiative has come up a couple of times, and that’s one of the reasons why I joined AdvantageHOPE in the first place, was to see through the MRDT.

Asked whether Gladue saw a divide between the current Chamber and AdvantageHOPE, and whether there is a need to repair the relationship, Gladue said she does not see a divide.

“I’ve been on AdvantageHOPE for about three years, and in that three years, AdvantageHOPE has tried to make contact with the Chamber of Commerce on a number of initiatives.”

She named collaborations including a kiosk at Hunter Creek, trying to set up a planning session for economic development issues with current Chamber president Lloyd Forman and former president Stephen Yeung.

“I’ve seen the communication there,” said Gladue.

“One of our board members would also like to see an increasing communication, so we’re actually going to put that on the next agenda and hopefully bring all of the board members from both organizations together.”

Gladue’s term is one year and she said she looks forward to it.

“I lost sleep over it. I cried over it. I take it very seriously. I’ve been quite engaged in AdvantageHOPE up to this point and I think it was a good natural progression for me to take this position,” said Gladue. “But I’m only one person of a board of 12 people. So, it’s not just me.”

Jannis Zimmer, Daniel De Serrano and Ruby Remple have also been appointed to AdvantageHOPE’s board after the April 10 council meeting where council approved their nominations.