B.C.'s Small Business Roundtable welcomes MaryAnne Arcand to its board and announces Cybele Negris as the new vice chair.

Arcand brings a wealth of diverse business experience and is currently executive director of the Central Interior Logging Association. Negris has been a member of the board since 2009 and is co-founder and president of Webnames.ca.

Established in 2005, B.C.'s Small Business Roundtable is co-chaired by Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation Pat Bell and Kamloops-South Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger. The roundtable seeks advice from the small business community on issues, strategies and potential actions to inform its annual report to government. The report provides recommendations to enhance the small business climate in British Columbia. It also includes measures small business owners can take to support the growth and success of their businesses.

The small business sector is a key economic driver in B.C., employing more than one million people and providing nearly 57 per cent of all private-sector jobs.

Quotes:

Kevin Krueger, MLA Kamloops-South Thompson -

"The SBRT is a place where some of B.C.'s most influential small business leaders share ideas and touch base with other entrepreneurs to help this sector continue to thrive and flourish. I'm pleased that both MaryAnne and Cybele are able to join us to share their considerable knowledge with the board and the small business community."

MaryAnne Arcand, executive director, Central Interior Logging Association and Chair, Carbon Offset Aggregation Cooperative -

"I am pleased to be appointed to the SBRT. I come to the table representing hundreds of family-owned small businesses in the forest industry, and bring personal experience in entrepreneurship and business development."

"I look forward to contributing to the strengthening of B.C.'s small business sector, and working towards common sense and practicality in regulatory and tax regimes in order to create business-friendly conditions."

Cybele Negris, co-founder and president, Webnames.ca -

"I'm truly honoured by the confidence that Minister Bell and MLA Krueger have in me to take on the role of vice-chair of the Small Business Roundtable. The board of the roundtable is made up of an exceptional group of leaders throughout a diverse range of industries and associations from multiple regions across the province."

"We all have the same goal - to represent the voice of small business in British Columbia through direct consultations with business owners and making recommendations to government to improve the environment to allow these businesses to succeed and thrive."

Quick Facts:

MaryAnne Arcand:

http://www.smallbusinessroundtable.ca/about/members/Pages/MaryAnneArcand.aspx

Cybele Negris:

http://www.smallbusinessroundtable.ca/about/members/Pages/CybeleNegris.aspx

Learn More:

View the 2011 SBRT annual report: http://www.smallbusinessroundtable.ca/AnnualReports/Documents/Sm%20Business%20AR_WEB%20-%20FINAL%20-%20Oct%206%202011.pdf

Visit the Small Business Roundtable website: http://www.smallbusinessroundtable.ca/Pages/Default.aspx

Contact:

Media Relations
Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation
250 356-7104